2:26 p.m., June 13, 2008--Few residents who lived along the Delaware shore in 1962 will ever forget the powerful northeaster that pounded the coast from March 6-8, devastating dozens of oceanfront homes and businesses, flooding communities and destroying lives--seven people were killed in Delaware.

In an effort to increase knowledge and understanding of coastal hazards in Delaware throughout the summer tropical storm season, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program will host five screenings this summer of The '62 Storm--Delaware's Shared Response, written, edited and produced by local filmmaker Michael Oates.

“The '62 storm is the most damaging coastal storm on record in Delaware,” said Wendy Carey, coastal processes specialist for Delaware Sea Grant. “We hope this movie will heighten residents' awareness of the hazards posed by northeasters and tropical storm systems.”

The 55-minute film was funded by Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Delaware Humanities Forum and 302 Stories Inc. The video features firsthand accounts from people who lived through the damaging three-day northeaster.

Delaware Sea Grant will offer free screenings of the film in Cannon Laboratory Room 104 at the University of Delaware's Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes at 10 a.m. on the following Wednesdays: June 25, July 9, July 23, Aug. 13 and Aug. 27.

For communities, civic groups or organizations that are interested in viewing this educational film about Delaware's coastal storm of the century, Delaware Sea Grant can accommodate requests for free screenings of the film if a venue is provided.

For additional information, or to schedule a screening, contact Delaware Sea Grant's Rita Baty at (302) 645-4346 or [rbaty@udel.edu].

To learn more about the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, visit [www.deseagrant.org].