Editing River Thames (section)

==Major flood events==

===London flood of 1928===
{{Main|1928 Thames flood}}

The 1928 Thames flood was a disastrous flood of the River Thames that affected much of riverside London on 7 January 1928, as well as places further downriver. Fourteen people were drowned in London and thousands were made homeless when flood waters poured over the top of the [[Thames Embankment]] and part of the [[Chelsea Embankment]] collapsed. It was the last major flood to affect [[central London]], and, particularly following the disastrous [[North Sea flood of 1953]], helped lead to the implementation of new flood-control measures that culminated in the construction of the [[Thames Barrier]] in the 1970s.

===Thames Valley flood of 1947===
{{Main|1947 Thames flood}}
The 1947 Thames flood was overall the worst 20th-century flood of the River Thames, affecting much of the [[Thames Valley]] as well as elsewhere in England during the middle of March 1947 after a very [[Winter of 1946–1947|severe winter]].

The floods were caused by {{cvt|4.6|in|mm}} of rainfall (including snow); the peak flow was {{cvt|61.7|e9L|e9impgal|abbr=off}} of water per day and the damage cost a total of £12&nbsp;million to repair.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/1721484 |title=Environment Agency - 1947 floods Thames |access-date=19 April 2011 |archive-date=6 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071206031534/http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/1721484 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[World War II|War]] damage to some of the [[Lock (water transport)|locks]] made matters worse.

Other significant Thames floods since 1947 have occurred in 1968, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2014.

[[File:Water canvey.jpg|thumb|The flooded [[Canvey Island]] sea front, amusements and residential areas in 1953]]

===Canvey Island flood of 1953===
{{Main|Canvey Island}}

On the night of 31 January, the [[North Sea flood of 1953]] devastated the island, taking the lives of 58 islanders and forcing the temporary evacuation of the 13,000 residents.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/weather/page/0,,2208302,00.html Canvey Island's 13,000 refugees] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123112220/https://www.theguardian.com/weather/page/0,,2208302,00.html |date=23 January 2021 }}. (2 February 1953). ''The Guardian'' (London), p. 1. Retrieved 29 July 2008.</ref> Canvey is consequently protected by modern sea defences comprising {{cvt|15|mi|km}} of concrete seawall.<ref name=drainage>"Canvey Island Drainage scheme 2006". Environment agency. (May Avenue Pumping Station information board).</ref> Many of the victims were in the holiday bungalows of the eastern Newlands estate and perished as the water reached ceiling level. The small village area of the island is approximately {{convert|2|foot|m|1|spell=in}} above sea level and consequently escaped the effects of the flood.