Thames Barrier

A motorist travels far too fast through flood waters on the road at Storth on the Kent Estuary in Cumbria, UK, during the January 2014 storm surge and high tides.

Kayakers in the flood waters on the road at Storth on the Kent Estuary in Cumbria, UK, during the January 2014 storm surge and high tides.

A motorist travels through flood waters on the road at Storth on the Kent Estuary in Cumbria, UK, during the January 2014 storm surge and high tides.

A motorist stuck in flood waters on the road at Storth on the Kent Estuary in Cumbria, UK, during the January 2014 storm surge and high tides, is pushed out by two helpers.

Coastal flooding on fields at salthouse on the North Norfolk coast, UK.

Second World war defences that for a long time were buried under the storm beach are revealed after the December 2013 storm surge at Cley on the North Norfolk coast, UK. The huge waves completely breached the storm beach, and pushed it inland onto the Cley nature reserve.

A high tide pushed by gale force winds flooding the sea front in Blakeney, Norfolk, UK.

Damage caused to the coastal defences by the December 2013 storm surge at Cley on the North Norfolk coast, UK. The huge waves completely breached the storm beach, and pushed it inland onto the Cley nature reserve.

Damage caused to the coastal defences by the December 2013 storm surge at Cley on the North Norfolk coast, UK. The huge waves completely breached the storm beach, and pushed it inland onto the Cley nature reserve.

A boat ripped off oits moorings and damaged by the extreme storm surge weather in December 2013 in Blakeney on the North Norfolk coast, UK.

Repairing damage caused to the coastal sea defences in Blakeney, Norfolk by the December 2013 storm surge.

A house in Wells Next the Sea with a flood gate to protect against storm surge coastal flooding, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

A flood siren to warn of coastal flooding at Salthouse on the North Norfolk coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Closed storm surge barrier The Oosterscheldekering (Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier) between the islands Schouwen-Duiveland and Noord-Beveland, part of the Delta works series of dams, protecting the Netherlands from flooding, Netherlands

Eider Barrier on the mouth of River Eider near Toenning - largest German coastal protection building, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

People, storm, promenade, storm flood, waves, flood, Altea, Alicante province, Costa Blanca, Spain, Europe

Storm waves, storm flood, flooding, cars, parking lot, Altea, Alicante province, Costa Blanca, Spain, Europe

Lighthouse by the coast, high tide, Inis Oirr, Aran Islands, Ireland, Europe

Closed storm surge barrier The Maeslantkering in the Nieuwe Waterweg waterway between Hoek van Holland and Maassluis, part of the Delta Works, Netherlands

Storm, promenade, storm flood, waves, flood, Altea, Alicante province, Costa Blanca, Spain, Europe

Closed storm surge barrier The Maeslantkering in the Nieuwe Waterweg waterway between Hoek van Holland and Maassluis, part of the Delta Works, Netherlands