The German North Sea coast is hit by the worst storm surge ever recorded

1962 opened with westerly winds battering the German North Sea coast. On the night of 16 February, hurricane force winds funnelled sea water up the lower reaches of the Weser and Elbe rivers, and it was prevented from flowing back at low tide. This storm surge caused several dykes to burst and resulted in serious flooding over the coastal regions of north Germany.

The flooding was especially serious in Hamburg. With one-sixth of the city under water, 6,000 buildings were destroyed and 20,000 people were left homeless. Worse still, some 315 people died in Hamburg alone. The serious nature of the catastrophe was due in large part to government failure. For example, dykes damaged in Hamburg during the Second World War had only been patched up rather than repaired, leaving them unable to withstand the extreme stresses placed upon them. The authorities underestimated the danger and failed to take precautionary measures.