Storm tide

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A storm tide is a tide with a high flood period caused by a storm. Storm tides can be a severe danger to the coast and the people living along the coast. The water level can rise to more than 5 m (17 ft) above the normal tide. Compare to storm surge.

For the protection from storm tides, long and high dike systems have been built, especially in the Netherlands, northern Germany and Denmark. Storm tides are a regular occurrence in these areas; usually, there are several storm tides each winter. Most of them do not cause significant damage.

Big storm tides were in

• 1362 (Grote Mandrenke – big drowner of men), which created a great part of the Wadden Sea and caused the end of the city of Rungholt.
• 1634 when the Burchardi flood broke the Island of Strand into parts (Nordstrand and Pellworm) in Nordfriesland.
• 1953 (North Sea flood of 1953) most severe in the Netherlands, leading to the Delta Works.
• 1962 (Hamburg-Flut) causing 315 victims and drowning one fifth of Hamburg.

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