The surge did not breach the storm barrier near Rotterdam, although Europe's biggest port, which is a major transit point for oil and other commodities, was expected to stay shut to shipping until the evening despite the tides receding.

About 60 ships will be affected as result of the barrier, built in the 1990s, being closed for the first time.

The oil and gas workers were airlifted from North Sea platforms after forecasters predicted 20-metre (66 foot) waves in the open sea and strong winds. At least nine platforms producing several hundred thousands barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) were shut down.

StatoilHydro, the biggest operator in the Norwegian part of the North Sea, said on Friday that production had been hit less than feared and fields were restarting.

In the Netherlands, some sea defences were being reopened while in Britain police said flood defences had been breached in Great Yarmouth in eastern England, but there was no danger to homes. A few surfers in wet suits tried to catch a wave as the sun rose.

NO LONGER HIGH TIDE

Further surges were expected south along the coast towards Kent, in the south east, and London, but they would not coincide with high tide. The Thames barrier protecting the capital was closed on Thursday.

Dutch officials reported minimal flooding after water levels peaked at 3.16 metres above mean sea level on the south coast. Floods in 1953, that killed over 2,000 people, peaked at 3.85 metres in the Netherlands and 3.28 metres in Britain.

Dutch forecasters predicted continuing storms along the coast with wind gusts of more than 100 km per hour (62 mph).

A spokesman for Britain's Environment Agency said Friday's tides peaked at 2.75 metres above normal compared with fears they would reach 3 metres.

"You can say that you're through the worst of it, but vigilance is the word. It is still wild and windy out there," a he said. "The difference between now and 1958 is we've got far improved flood defence systems and warning systems in place."

British police in Norfolk said people in 7,500 homes in the Great Yarmouth area had been advised to leave and more than 200 elderly residents were evacuated from care homes.

Hundreds of families moved into school buildings where local authorities said they had room for 3,500 people. Highways and railways to Great Yarmouth were closed.