SEVERE flood warnings have been issued for large areas of East Anglia as high tides and strong winds threaten to swamp the coastline.
The Environment Agency has issued 18 alerts for the region, warning of severe flooding and danger to life.
Residents in areas including West Mersea in are likely to be affected.
By 7am the EA had issued 140 flood alerts across England and Wales with 3,000 properties expected to suffer from flooding in the next 24 hours.
EA spokesman Peter Fox said: "The most important thing is that along the east coast (of England) the high tide will be hitting in the hours of darkness this evening and tonight, so people really need to take the daylight hours today to prepare for the coastal and tidal flooding that we are predicting."
Mr Fox said evacuation in "key areas" was being discussed with the police.
The gale-force winds threaten to whip up the most serious tidal surge for 30 years.
In some places, sea levels could be as high as those during the the devastating floods of 1953, the EA said, although flood defences since then, including the Thames, Deptford and Hull barriers, should provide better protection than 60 years ago.
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