Flooding from the sea does not only cause damage to buildings and infrastructure. It also has significant and long-lasting consequences for the people living in the areas affected by flooding. This is shown by a survey from DTU (in Danish only), which has investigated how households are affected when they themselves, or their neighbours, are hit by coastal flooding.
"We have heard many accounts from flood victims about how terrifying it was to see the water entering their homes. Our study confirms just how many people are affected and that many experience long-term consequences of storm surges in Denmark," says DTU PhD student Emma Houmøller Veng, who led the questionnaire survey.
The many questionnaires were sent out in spring 2025 and cover households located no more than one kilometer from the coast along the stretches affected by storm surges in October and December 2023.
Two months of extra work
In total, around 18,400 people have completed all or parts of the questionnaire survey of private households. Of these, 1,024 people have experienced flooding in their current or former home or holiday home.
The survey shows that, in addition to the average compensation paid out under the government's storm surge scheme – around 320,000 Danish kroner for year-round homes and slightly less for holiday homes – there is also a significant out-of-pocket cost for the affected households. On average, households have had to pay around 120,000 Danish kroner themselves for damage to year-round homes and around 150,000 Danish kroner for damage to holiday homes.
The report thus shows that a significant proportion of the financial consequences of flooding is not covered by the state scheme but is borne directly by the affected citizens.
Mental and physical strain
The study also documents that many residents have spent a great many working hours dealing with the floods. This includes, among other things, clearing up, restoring the home and time spent on insurance and compensation claims. On average, households have spent 293 hours on tasks related to flooding, equivalent to around two months' normal working hours for year-round homes and around one month for holiday homes.
The questionnaire survey also shows that many households have experienced mental and physical strain because of the flooding. Among those who have had water in their permanent or holiday home, almost 40 per cent have experienced one or more consequences, including difficulty concentrating, insomnia, stress, low mood, fatigue and reduced energy for work and family life.
Risk of future flooding
Around 75 per cent of households that have experienced flooding in their permanent or holiday homes have attempted to take steps to reduce the risk of future flooding. At the same time, the findings suggest that many feel they have limited options for reducing the risk on their own, which contributes to a persistent sense of insecurity.
The findings from the questionnaire survey form part of a main report for the CIP Foundation, a non-profit organisation whose aim is to identify areas where structural projects can support necessary societal changes.
The report highlights that flooding has significant consequences that are not covered by the state insurance scheme. It thus emphasises that flooding is not only a technical and economic problem, but also a significant human problem, which should be given greater consideration in assessments of the need for future coastal protection and climate adaptation in Denmark.
