Experts have named several major UK population areas where a catastrophic storm event, maybe even as serious as hurricane Katrina, could devastate the area and cause heavy loss of life. The warning comes after government cuts to funding for national flood defences have been proposed. 

Although such a storm would unlikely be a hurricane, the populations involved would be large and just as devastated.

Speaking at a press conference in London on the anniversary of Katrina, the researchers said that low-lying areas such as Hull, where one-quarter of the population lives on the flood plain, would suffer badly in the event of a severe weather combination.

Storm surges in conjunction with high tides have always been a risk to some parts of Britain. The Thames Barrier project - which has operated to protect London on numerous occasions - was built (eventually) after disastrous flooding along the east coasts of Britain in 1953. Although rare, such combinations of weather do happen and as low-lying areas become more populated the risk to people becomes greater.

One of the experts, Professor Penning-Rowsell, head of the Flood Hazard Research Centre at the University of Middlesex, said, "I wouldn't buy a house in Thamesmead. Not because the risk [of a severe flood] is very high, but because the consequences of a flood in Thamesmead would be catastrophic."

High-population, low-lying areas named as at high risk were Hull, Portsmouth, areas around Cardiff and the Thames Gateway. Other areas could be affected, said the experts. For example, although the Capital itself was well protected little or no protection existed for the 40,000 people living further along the Thames between Eton and Teddington.

Although the speakers accused ministers of ignoring the lessons of Hurricane Katrina and criticised government cuts to national funding for flood defences, there was recognition that some events would not be prevented by defences, only mitigated by awareness and preparation.

"We have to accept that no matter how much money we spend, there will always be a bigger event than what we've designed for, and the consequences, tragically, are often death," said Jean Venables, former chairman of the Regional Flood Defence Committee of the Environment Agency Thames region.