Canvey floods: residents recalling memories of night

And not a day goes by without former long-standing Canvey councillor Ray Howard MBE recalling the harrowing memories of that night.

When the first incident happened, there was no emergency planning in place nor a warning system of a tidal surge in the North Sea. 

The devastating flood would also claiming the lives of 2,500 people in Europe.

Recalling - Ray Howard MBE (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Howard said: “I was 11 years old when the flood hit but we were quite fortunate to be in a two-storey house because my old home was bombed by a doodlebug in the war.

“Because we had moved into one of the new council houses in North Avenue, we were living on the second floor to get out of the immediate path of danger.

“It was such a bitterly cold night, and I always remember my sister coming into the bedroom saying there was water gushing down the street.

“That is still in my mind today and always will be."

Mr Howards and his family were evacuated by the army and taken to Benfleet. 

He said: “What makes me really upset is so many people were not as fortunate as us.

“Another thing that will always be stuck in my head will be going back to school and seeing empty chairs from friends who were either killed or lost their mums and dads and moved away from the island.”

To the rescue - rescuers out on a boat to help the people of Canvey (Image: Canvey Island Community Archive)

In the Netherlands, where the disaster is known as “Watersnoodramp”, 1,800 lives were lost and 10 per cent of the country’s entire farmland was flooded.

Alan Johnson, aged ten at the time, lived in a bungalow in Rainbow Avenue and remembers it being “bitterly cold” and stepping out of bed into six inches of freezing cold water.

The Canvey flood - the area was devastated by the flood (Image: Canvey Island Community Archive)

In a testimony saved in the Canvey Archives, he added the water was “rising at a rapid pace” and it was a “very eerie and frightening” experience with the sound of rushing water and people calling out for help.

Following the tragic Canvey floods and widespread criticism of the lack of warning, many flood defences have been put in place across the UK, including the Thames Barrier.

On the island, work is being carried out to bolster Canvey’s flood defences through the southern shoreline revetment project.

Smiles - Ray Howard given special visit (Image: Environment Agency)

It comes as the 3.2-kilometre tidal defence is being replaced having downgraded over the years.

As some sections of the revetment date back to the 1930s and between the concrete blocks began to appear, the Environment Agency started work on a £75million project in May.

After the work has been completed, it is hoped the defences will have their life extended to 2070 to protect the island against erosion.

It will protect Canvey from another great flood in light of increasing sea levels due to climate change.

Mr Howard added: “It is very important and positive to see these works are being carried out which will protect us from another tragic incident which was seen in 1953.”