The Baltic Sea storm surge of 20/21 October – causes of the comparatively high level of damage and consideration of possible minimisation strategies

The Baltic Sea storm surge of October 2023 was characterized by an unusually high level of damage. A significant part of the damage affected facilities with a high density of material assets that were exposed to the event for seasonal reasons, in particular campsites, marinas and managed beaches. The operator or municipality is usually responsible for adequate protection of such facilities. The effects of the storm surge were presented and possible minimization strategies were shown. Marinas in particular, with their high density of material assets, offer great potential for minimizing future property damage by converting their existing, height-fixed mooring facilities to mooring options that follow the water level. Concrete, individual evacuation plans can help to avoid damage to campsites and minimize the loss of tourist infrastructure on managed beaches.