THE Environment Secretary visited Immingham at the weekend in the wake of Thursday's tidal surge.
Damage was caused to Immingham Docks.
Owen Paterson called in at the site on his way to Hull, which was badly affected.
He said: "Immingham was absolutely inundated on one exceptional night.
"We now know the tide was the highest since 1953.
"These are circumstances that only come across once every 500 years and the Environment Agency reacted very quickly.
"Flood defences have protected 800,000 properties across the UK and that only happens through very careful, long-term planning.
"For those that have been affected, it is shocking and terrible," he said.
"I am desperately sorry for those people in that dreadful situation
"However, thousands of properties have not flooded, which shows the value of flood defences.
Mr Paterson said the Government's pledge last year to invest £2.3bn into flood defences could help North East Lincolnshire.
"There is more money for defences," he said.
"We have been talking about longer-term plans for the future.
"We have made a major commitment about a year ago to invest that money, despite the very difficult financial circumstances in the country. We really understand how awful it is for those people, which is why we are looking long-term for this huge national programme."
David Dangerfield, area director for the Environment Agency for Yorkshire and the North East, said: "Our flood defences along the very low-lying banks of the Humber have stood up to the standard they are designed for.
"There were at least 19,000 properties protected by the tidal barrier."
"Obviously, some people have had their homes flooded and our thoughts are with them.
"But for every home that has flooded, there are more we have protected."
