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The Deadliest Floods in History: A Devastating Look at Nature's Fury
Introduction:
The relentless power of nature is perhaps most dramatically showcased during catastrophic floods. These devastating events, driven by intense rainfall, melting glaciers, or storm surges, have shaped human history, leaving behind scars etched in both the landscape and the collective memory. This comprehensive article delves into some of the deadliest floods in recorded history, exploring their causes, impacts, and the lessons learned (or not learned) in their wake. We'll analyze the factors that contributed to their immense destruction and examine the ongoing challenges humanity faces in mitigating the risks of future flood disasters. Prepare to confront the grim reality of water's destructive potential and understand the crucial need for preparedness and proactive flood management strategies.
1. The Yellow River Floods (China): A Recurring Tragedy
The Yellow River, known as "China's Sorrow," has a history steeped in devastating floods. Over millennia, countless catastrophic events have claimed millions of lives. The sheer scale of these floods is almost incomprehensible; entire cities vanished, agricultural lands were decimated, and the resulting famine further exacerbated the death toll. The unpredictable nature of the river, coupled with inadequate flood control measures throughout much of its history, led to repeated cycles of destruction. The lack of accurate record-keeping before modern times makes precise death tolls difficult to ascertain, but estimates point towards millions lost over centuries. These floods highlight the devastating consequences of neglecting infrastructure development and effective disaster preparedness, particularly in densely populated river basins.
2. The Great Flood of 1931 (China): A Modern Catastrophe
While the Yellow River’s historical floods are legendary, the 1931 flood stands out as one of the most deadly in modern history. Prolonged and intense rainfall saturated the land, causing the Yangtze, Huai, and Yellow Rivers to overflow their banks. The sheer volume of water submerged vast swathes of central China, displacing millions and creating a breeding ground for waterborne diseases. Estimates of the death toll vary widely, ranging from 145,000 to 4 million, highlighting the challenges of accurate accounting amidst widespread chaos and destruction. The combination of the flood itself and the resulting famine made this event a harrowing turning point, underscoring the interconnectedness of natural disasters and societal vulnerability.
3. The 1938 Yellow River Flood (China): A Controversial Act of War?
During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Nationalist Chinese government controversially breached the Yellow River's dikes in an attempt to impede the Japanese advance. While intended as a tactical maneuver, this act unleashed a devastating flood that submerged vast agricultural areas and claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, both Chinese civilians and Japanese soldiers. The moral and ethical implications of this decision remain fiercely debated. The incident serves as a grim reminder of the complexities of warfare and the devastating unintended consequences that can arise when prioritizing military strategy over human life and environmental considerations.
4. The Bengal Flood of 1970 (Bangladesh & India): A Cyclone-Induced Disaster
The 1970 Bhola cyclone, which struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), generated a massive storm surge that overwhelmed coastal areas and led to catastrophic flooding. The combination of the cyclone's winds and the ensuing flood resulted in an estimated 500,000 deaths, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. The lack of adequate warning systems and effective evacuation plans, compounded by widespread poverty and inadequate infrastructure, significantly amplified the death toll. This disaster served as a stark warning about the vulnerability of coastal communities to extreme weather events and the importance of robust disaster preparedness mechanisms.
5. The 1988 Bangladesh Flood: A Testament to Vulnerability
Another devastating flood struck Bangladesh in 1988, showcasing the country’s persistent vulnerability to monsoon season flooding. The torrential rains overwhelmed the country's rivers, causing widespread inundation and displacement. While the death toll is less precisely known than in 1970, it is estimated to have reached several thousands, leaving a lasting impact on the country's infrastructure and economy. This event, coupled with the 1970 disaster, underscored the need for long-term flood mitigation strategies and improved infrastructure to withstand these recurring events.
6. The 2010 Pakistan Floods: A Climate Change Connection?
The 2010 Pakistan floods, attributed in part to unprecedented monsoon rains, illustrate the potential impact of climate change on flood events. The floods submerged one-fifth of the country, impacting millions of lives and causing widespread devastation. This event highlighted the growing vulnerability of developing nations to climate change-induced extreme weather events and the need for international cooperation in addressing the challenges of adaptation and mitigation.
7. Recent Deadly Floods: An Ongoing Threat
Recent years have witnessed numerous devastating floods across the globe. From the 2017 floods in South Asia to the 2022 floods in Pakistan, these events underscore the persistent and growing threat posed by extreme weather events, highlighting the need for continued investment in infrastructure, improved forecasting capabilities, and effective disaster response mechanisms.
Conclusion:
The deadliest floods in history serve as a sobering reminder of nature’s immense destructive power and the vulnerability of human societies. These events, often exacerbated by factors such as poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and climate change, highlight the urgent need for proactive measures to mitigate flood risks. Investing in robust flood control systems, early warning systems, and comprehensive disaster preparedness strategies is not merely a financial expenditure; it is a crucial investment in human lives and societal resilience. The legacy of these devastating floods should serve as a catalyst for global cooperation and concerted action to minimize the impact of future disasters.
Article Outline: Deadliest Floods in History
I. Introduction: Hooking the reader and providing an overview.
II. Main Chapters:
A. The Yellow River Floods (China): A recurring tragedy spanning millennia.
B. The Great Flood of 1931 (China): A modern catastrophe.
C. The 1938 Yellow River Flood (China): A controversial act of war.
D. The Bengal Flood of 1970 (Bangladesh & India): A cyclone-induced disaster.
E. The 1988 Bangladesh Flood: Demonstrating vulnerability.
F. The 2010 Pakistan Floods: A potential climate change connection.
G. Recent Deadly Floods: An ongoing threat.
III. Conclusion: Summarizing key points and emphasizing the importance of preparedness.
(The main body of the article is detailed above, fulfilling the outline.)
FAQs:
1. What is the deadliest flood in history? There's no single definitive answer due to historical record-keeping limitations. The 1931 China flood and the 1970 Bengal cyclone are often cited as contenders for the highest death toll.
2. What are the main causes of deadly floods? Intense rainfall, rapid snowmelt, storm surges, dam failures, and inadequate drainage systems are all significant contributing factors.
3. How does climate change affect the risk of flooding? Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including floods, due to rising sea levels and changes in rainfall patterns.
4. What can be done to mitigate flood risks? Investing in infrastructure, such as levees, dams, and improved drainage systems, along with effective early warning systems and disaster preparedness plans, are crucial steps.
5. How do floods impact economies? Floods cause significant economic losses through damage to infrastructure, disruption of businesses, loss of agricultural production, and the cost of relief and recovery efforts.
6. What are the social impacts of floods? Floods lead to displacement, loss of life, trauma, and the spread of waterborne diseases.
7. What role does deforestation play in flooding? Deforestation reduces the land's ability to absorb water, increasing runoff and the risk of flooding.
8. Are there any international organizations involved in flood risk reduction? Yes, organizations like the United Nations, World Bank, and various NGOs work globally to support flood management and disaster relief efforts.
9. How can individuals prepare for floods? Individuals should develop a family emergency plan, create a flood preparedness kit, and stay informed about weather forecasts and flood warnings.
Related Articles:
1. Understanding Floodplain Dynamics: Explores the scientific principles governing floodplains and their role in flood risk.
2. The History of Flood Control Engineering: Traces the development of flood mitigation technologies throughout history.
3. Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events: Discusses the connection between climate change and the increased frequency of floods.
4. Disaster Preparedness and Response Strategies: Outlines best practices for mitigating flood risks and responding to flood disasters.
5. Economic Impacts of Natural Disasters: Analyzes the economic consequences of floods and other natural hazards.
6. Case Studies of Successful Flood Mitigation Projects: Examines examples of effective flood control measures implemented worldwide.
7. The Role of Urban Planning in Flood Risk Reduction: Explores how urban design can reduce flood vulnerability in cities.
8. Community Resilience in the Face of Floods: Discusses the importance of community involvement in disaster preparedness and recovery.
9. Insurance and Flood Risk Management: Explores the role of insurance in mitigating the financial impact of floods.
| deadliest floods in history: No One Had a Tongue to Speak Utpal Sandesara, Tom Wooten, 2011-05-24 On August 11, 1979, after a week of extraordinary monsoon rains in the Indian state of Gujarat, the two mile-long Machhu Dam-II disintegrated. The waters released from the dam’s massive reservoir rushed through the heavily populated downstream area, devastating the industrial city of Morbi and its surrounding agricultural villages. As the torrent’s thirty-foot-tall leading edge cut its way through the Machhu River valley, massive bridges gave way, factories crumbled, and thousands of houses collapsed. While no firm figure has ever been set on the disaster’s final death count, estimates in the flood’s wake ran as high as 25,000. Despite the enormous scale of the devastation, few people today have ever heard of this terrible event. This book tells, for the first time, the suspenseful and multifaceted story of the Machhu dam disaster. Based on over 130 interviews and extensive archival research, the authors recount the disaster and its aftermath in vivid firsthand detail. The book presents important findings culled from formerly classified government documents that reveal the long-hidden failures that culminated in one of the deadliest floods in history. The authors follow characters whose lives were interrupted and forever altered by the flood; provide vivid first-hand descriptions of the disaster and its aftermath; and shed light on the never-completed judicial investigation into the dam’s collapse. |
| deadliest floods in history: The World's Worst Floods John R. Baker, 2016-08 Describes history's biggest and most destructive floods from around the world-- |
| deadliest floods in history: Top 10 Worst Floods Louise Spilsbury, Richard Spilsbury, 2016-12-15 Typhoons, monsoons, cyclones, and bursting dams – readers will be transfixed by the floods these monster storms create. Photographs capture these breathtaking phenomena and their devastating effects on human society. This exploration of the ten worst floods humanity has endured will be a key feature in STEM, history, and geography curricula. Readers will delve into scientific explanations for these disasters, gain experience with maps, and ponder critical thinking questions that assess their understanding of this fascinating topic. |
| deadliest floods in history: Historical Dictionary of the Sudan John Obert Voll, 1978 |
| deadliest floods in history: Flood John Withington, 2013-11-15 From the flood that remade the earth in the Old Testament to the 1931 China floods that killed almost four million people, from the broken levees in New Orleans to the almost yearly rising waters of rivers like the Mississippi, floods have many causes: rain, melting ice, storms, tsunamis, failures of dams and levees, acts of vengeful gods. They have been used as deliberate acts of war to cause thousands of casualties. Flooding kills far more people than any other natural disaster. In this cultural and natural history of floods, John Withington tells stories of the deadliest floods the world has seen while also exploring the role of the deluge in religion, mythology, literature, and art. Withington describes how aspects of floods—the power of nature, human drama, changed landscapes—have fascinated artists, novelists, and filmmakers. He examines the ancient, catastrophic flood that appears in many religions and cultures and considers how the symbol of the flood has become a key icon in world literatures and a component of the contemporary disaster movie. Withington also depicts how humans try to defend themselves against these merciless encroaching waters and discusses the increasing danger floods pose in a future beset by climate change. Filled with illustrations, Flood offers a fascinating overview of our relationship with one of humanity’s oldest and deadliest foes. |
| deadliest floods in history: No One Had a Tongue to Speak Utpal Sandesara, 2012 |
| deadliest floods in history: The Worst Floods of All Time Terri Dougherty, 2012-07 Describes the worst floods in history, as well as causes, types, and disaster tips--Provided by publisher. |
| deadliest floods in history: Top 10 Worst Floods Louise Spilsbury, Richard Spilsbury, 2016-12-15 Typhoons, monsoons, cyclones, and bursting dams – readers will be transfixed by the floods these monster storms create. Photographs capture these breathtaking phenomena and their devastating effects on human society. This exploration of the ten worst floods humanity has endured will be a key feature in STEM, history, and geography curricula. Readers will delve into scientific explanations for these disasters, gain experience with maps, and ponder critical thinking questions that assess their understanding of this fascinating topic. |
| deadliest floods in history: Floods in a Changing Climate Slobodan P. Simonović, 2012-11-22 Flood risk management is presented in this book as a framework for identifying, assessing and prioritizing climate-related risks and developing appropriate adaptation responses. Rigorous assessment is employed to determine the available probabilistic and fuzzy set-based analytic tools, when each is appropriate and how to apply them to practical problems. Academic researchers in the fields of hydrology, climate change, environmental science and policy and risk assessment, and professionals and policy-makers working in hazard mitigation, water resources engineering and environmental economics, will find this an invaluable resource. This volume is the fourth in a collection of four books on flood disaster management theory and practice within the context of anthropogenic climate change. The others are: Floods in a Changing Climate: Extreme Precipitation by Ramesh Teegavarapu, Floods in a Changing Climate: Hydrologic Modeling by P. P. Mujumdar and D. Nagesh Kumar and Floods in a Changing Climate: Inundation Modelling by Giuliano Di Baldassarre. |
| deadliest floods in history: San Diego County Place Names, A to Z Leland Fetzer, 2005 Over 1,500 place names in San Diego County. Each listing gives general location and specific citation of place name origin. |
| deadliest floods in history: Floods of the Tiber in Ancient Rome Gregory S. Aldrete, 2007-03-05 Publisher description |
| deadliest floods in history: Floods Jenna Vale, 2024-07-30 Flooding is one of the most common natural disasters in the United States, and it has happened in nearly every country worldwide. Climate change is causing flooding to become more intense and frequent. This book describes key ideas related to floods including what causes them, where the worst floods happen, and why floods can be deadly. This book also features striking images, engaging sidebars, a graphic organizer, and text carefully crafted to be accessible to young readers. Facts about history's deadliest floods also help young readers understand what these events have taught people about the best ways to stay safe and prevent floods in the future. |
| deadliest floods in history: Great Floods of Pennsylvania William H. Shank, 1972 |
| deadliest floods in history: Encyclopedia of Disasters Angus Macleod Gunn, 2008 A comprehensive study of major natural and human-related disasters throughout history from ancient times to 1937 including Pompeii, Italy, the Black death in 1665, Krakatau volcanic eruption in 1883, and the Nanking massacre in 1937. |
| deadliest floods in history: Ruthless Tide Al Roker, 2018-05-22 “Reads like a nail-biting thriller.” — Library Journal,starred review A gripping new history celebrating the remarkable heroes of the Johnstown Flood—the deadliest flood in U.S. history—from NBC host and legendary weather authority Al Roker Central Pennsylvania, May 31, 1889: After a deluge of rain—nearly a foot in less than twenty-four hours—swelled the Little Conemaugh River, panicked engineers watched helplessly as swiftly rising waters threatened to breach the South Fork dam, built to create a private lake for a fishing and hunting club that counted among its members Andrew Mellon, Henry Clay Frick, and Andrew Carnegie. Though the engineers telegraphed neighboring towns on this last morning in May warning of the impending danger, residents—factory workers and their families—remained in their homes, having grown used to false alarms. At 3:10 P.M., the dam gave way, releasing 20 million tons of water. Gathering speed as it flowed southwest, the deluge wiped out nearly everything in its path and picked up debris—trees, houses, animals—before reaching Johnstown, a vibrant steel town fourteen miles downstream. Traveling 40 miles an hour, with swells as high as 60 feet, the deadly floodwaters razed the mill town—home to 20,000 people—in minutes. The Great Flood, as it would come to be called, remains the deadliest in US history, killing more than 2,200 people and causing $17 million in damage. In Ruthless Tide, Al Roker follows an unforgettable cast of characters whose fates converged because of that tragic day, including John Parke, the engineer whose heroic efforts failed to save the dam; the robber barons whose fancy sport fishing resort was responsible for modifications that weakened the dam; and Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross, who spent five months in Johnstown leading one of the first organized disaster relief efforts in the United States. Weaving together their stories and those of many ordinary citizens whose lives were forever altered by the event, Ruthless Tide is testament to the power of the human spirit in times of tragedy and also a timely warning about the dangers of greed, inequality, neglected infrastructure, and the ferocious, uncontrollable power of nature. |
| deadliest floods in history: Johnstown Flood David McCullough, 2007-05-31 The stunning story of one of America’s great disasters, a preventable tragedy of Gilded Age America, brilliantly told by master historian David McCullough. At the end of the nineteenth century, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was a booming coal-and-steel town filled with hardworking families striving for a piece of the nation’s burgeoning industrial prosperity. In the mountains above Johnstown, an old earth dam had been hastily rebuilt to create a lake for an exclusive summer resort patronized by the tycoons of that same industrial prosperity, among them Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and Andrew Mellon. Despite repeated warnings of possible danger, nothing was done about the dam. Then came May 31, 1889, when the dam burst, sending a wall of water thundering down the mountain, smashing through Johnstown, and killing more than 2,000 people. It was a tragedy that became a national scandal. Graced by David McCullough’s remarkable gift for writing richly textured, sympathetic social history, The Johnstown Flood is an absorbing, classic portrait of life in nineteenth-century America, of overweening confidence, of energy, and of tragedy. It also offers a powerful historical lesson for our century and all times: the danger of assuming that because people are in positions of responsibility they are necessarily behaving responsibly. |
| deadliest floods in history: Isaac's Storm Erik Larson, 2000-07-11 From the bestselling author of The Devil in the White City, here is the true story of the deadliest hurricane in history. National Bestseller September 8, 1900, began innocently in the seaside town of Galveston, Texas. Even Isaac Cline, resident meteorologist for the U.S. Weather Bureau failed to grasp the true meaning of the strange deep-sea swells and peculiar winds that greeted the city that morning. Mere hours later, Galveston found itself submerged in a monster hurricane that completely destroyed the town and killed over six thousand people in what remains the greatest natural disaster in American history--and Isaac Cline found himself the victim of a devastating personal tragedy. Using Cline's own telegrams, letters, and reports, the testimony of scores of survivors, and our latest understanding of the science of hurricanes, Erik Larson builds a chronicle of one man's heroic struggle and fatal miscalculation in the face of a storm of unimaginable magnitude. Riveting, powerful, and unbearably suspenseful, Isaac's Storm is the story of what can happen when human arrogance meets the great uncontrollable force of nature. |
| deadliest floods in history: Colorado’s Deadliest Floods Darla Sue Dollman, 2017-09-04 Ranked among the top ten states for both disasters and dry climate, Colorado has a long history of extreme weather. On May 19, 1864, residents of the fledgling gold rush town of Denver awoke to a wall of water slamming into the city with enough force to flatten buildings and rip clothing from its victims. The infamous Big Thompson Canyon flood of 1976 killed 144 residents, tourists and campers. Per the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Coloradoans experienced twenty-two floods with contemporary monetary losses of $2 million or more since the flood of 1864. And as the population continues to grow, the loss of lives, property, crops and livestock may increase. Local author Darla Sue Dollman, who witnessed and survived many of the contemporary disasters, examines the state's most catastrophic flash floods from 1864 to 2013. |
| deadliest floods in history: Rising Tide John M. Barry, 2007-09-17 A New York Times Notable Book of the Year, winner of the Southern Book Critics Circle Award and the Lillian Smith Award. An American epic of science, politics, race, honor, high society, and the Mississippi River, Rising Tide tells the riveting and nearly forgotten story of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. The river inundated the homes of almost one million people, helped elect Huey Long governor and made Herbert Hoover president, drove hundreds of thousands of African Americans north, and transformed American society and politics forever. The flood brought with it a human storm: white and black collided, honor and money collided, regional and national powers collided. New Orleans’s elite used their power to divert the flood to those without political connections, power, or wealth, while causing Black sharecroppers to abandon their land to flee up north. The states were unprepared for this disaster and failed to support the Black community. The racial divides only widened when a white officer killed a Black man for refusing to return to work on levee repairs after a sleepless night of work. In the powerful prose of Rising Tide, John M. Barry removes any remaining veil that there had been equality in the South. This flood not only left millions of people ruined, but further emphasized the racial inequality that have continued even to this day. |
| deadliest floods in history: Physical Geology Steven Earle, 2016-08-12 This is a discount Black and white version. Some images may be unclear, please see BCCampus website for the digital version.This book was born out of a 2014 meeting of earth science educators representing most of the universities and colleges in British Columbia, and nurtured by a widely shared frustration that many students are not thriving in courses because textbooks have become too expensive for them to buy. But the real inspiration comes from a fascination for the spectacular geology of western Canada and the many decades that the author spent exploring this region along with colleagues, students, family, and friends. My goal has been to provide an accessible and comprehensive guide to the important topics of geology, richly illustrated with examples from western Canada. Although this text is intended to complement a typical first-year course in physical geology, its contents could be applied to numerous other related courses. |
| deadliest floods in history: The Ecology of War in China Micah S. Muscolino, 2015 This book explores the interplay between war and the environment in Henan Province, a hotly contested frontline territory that endured massive environmental destruction and human disruption during the conflict between China and Japan that raged during World War II. In a desperate attempt to block Japan's military advance, Chinese Nationalist armies under Chiang Kai-shek broke the Yellow River's dikes in Henan in June 1938, resulting in devastating floods that persisted until after the war's end. Greater catastrophe struck Henan in 1942-1943, when famine took some two million lives and displaced millions more. Focusing on these war-induced disasters and their aftermath, this book conceptualizes the ecology of war in terms of energy flows through and between militaries, societies, and environments. Ultimately, Micah Muscolino argues that efforts to procure and exploit nature's energy in various forms shaped the choices of generals, the fates of communities, and the trajectory of environmental change in North China. |
| deadliest floods in history: The Buffalo Creek Disaster Gerald M. Stern, 2011-01-26 The suspenseful and completely absorbing story (San Francisco Chronicle) of how survivors of the worst coal-mining disaster in history triumphed over corporate irresponsibility—written by the young lawyer who took on their case and won. One Saturday morning in February 1972, an impoundment dam owned by the Pittston Coal Company burst, sending a 130 million gallon, 25 foot tidal wave of water, sludge, and debris crashing into southern West Virginia's Buffalo Creek hollow. It was one of the deadliest floods in U.S. history. 125 people were killed instantly, more than 1,000 were injured, and over 4,000 were suddenly homeless. Instead of accepting the small settlements offered by the coal company's insurance offices, a few hundred of the survivors banded together to sue. |
| deadliest floods in history: Atmospheric Rivers F. Martin Ralph, Michael D. Dettinger, Jonathan J. Rutz, Duane E. Waliser, 2020-07-10 This book is the standard reference based on roughly 20 years of research on atmospheric rivers, emphasizing progress made on key research and applications questions and remaining knowledge gaps. The book presents the history of atmospheric-rivers research, the current state of scientific knowledge, tools, and policy-relevant (science-informed) problems that lend themselves to real-world application of the research—and how the topic fits into larger national and global contexts. This book is written by a global team of authors who have conducted and published the majority of critical research on atmospheric rivers over the past years. The book is intended to benefit practitioners in the fields of meteorology, hydrology and related disciplines, including students as well as senior researchers. |
| deadliest floods in history: The Floods of July 1916 Matthew C Bumgarner, 1995 From July 15 to July 16, 1916, U.S. rainfall records were shattered as more than 22 inches of rain fell on the already saturated North Carolina mountains during a 24-hour period. An estimated 80–90 percent of this deluge rushed down the mountainsides into the region’s already swollen streams and rivers, which crested high above their normal flood stages. This volume details the awesome drama of this natural emergency. |
| deadliest floods in history: Guidelines for Determining Flood Flow Frequency Water Resources Council (U.S.). Hydrology Committee, 1975 |
| deadliest floods in history: The Big Ones Dr. Lucy Jones, 2019-03-19 By the world-renowned seismologist, a riveting history of natural disasters, their impact on our culture, and new ways of thinking about the ones to come Earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, hurricanes, volcanoes--they stem from the same forces that give our planet life. Earthquakes give us natural springs; volcanoes produce fertile soil. It is only when these forces exceed our ability to withstand them that they become disasters. Together they have shaped our cities and their architecture; elevated leaders and toppled governments; influenced the way we think, feel, fight, unite, and pray. The history of natural disasters is a history of ourselves. In The Big Ones, leading seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones offers a bracing look at some of the world's greatest natural disasters, whose reverberations we continue to feel today. At Pompeii, Jones explores how a volcanic eruption in the first century AD challenged prevailing views of religion. She examines the California floods of 1862 and the limits of human memory. And she probes more recent events--such as the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 and the American hurricanes of 2017--to illustrate the potential for globalization to humanize and heal. With population in hazardous regions growing and temperatures around the world rising, the impacts of natural disasters are greater than ever before. The Big Ones is more than just a work of history or science; it is a call to action. Natural hazards are inevitable; human catastrophes are not. With this energizing and exhaustively researched book, Dr. Jones offers a look at our past, readying us to face down the Big Ones in our future. |
| deadliest floods in history: Kansas - Missouri Floods of June - July 1951 United States. Hydrologic Services Division, 1952 The purpose of this report is to compile and record the basic hydrometeorological data for the great Kansas-Missouri floods of June-July 1951. This type of information is essential in the planning of land and water management programs, including the safeguarding of life and property. |
| deadliest floods in history: The Thousand-Year Flood David Welky, 2011-08-19 In the early days of 1937, the Ohio River, swollen by heavy winter rains, began rising. And rising. And rising. By the time the waters crested, the Ohio and Mississippi had climbed to record heights. Nearly four hundred people had died, while a million more had run from their homes. The deluge caused more than half a billion dollars of damage at a time when the Great Depression still battered the nation. Timed to coincide with the flood's seventy-fifth anniversary, The Thousand-Year Flood is the first comprehensive history of one of the most destructive disasters in American history. David Welky first shows how decades of settlement put Ohio valley farms and towns at risk and how politicians and planners repeatedly ignored the dangers. Then he tells the gripping story of the river's inexorable rise: residents fled to refugee camps and higher ground, towns imposed martial law, prisoners rioted, Red Cross nurses endured terrifying conditions, and FDR dispatched thousands of relief workers. In a landscape fraught with dangers—from unmoored gas tanks that became floating bombs to powerful currents of filthy floodwaters that swept away whole towns—people hastily raised sandbag barricades, piled into overloaded rowboats, and marveled at water that stretched as far as the eye could see. In the flood's aftermath, Welky explains, New Deal reformers, utopian dreamers, and hard-pressed locals restructured not only the flood-stricken valleys, but also the nation's relationship with its waterways, changes that continue to affect life along the rivers to this day. A striking narrative of danger and adventure—and the mix of heroism and generosity, greed and pettiness that always accompany disaster—The Thousand-Year Flood breathes new life into a fascinating yet little-remembered American story. |
| deadliest floods in history: Devastation! Lesley Newson, 1998 Easy-to-follow explanations help you understand the underlying causes of all types of disasters. |
| deadliest floods in history: Disastrous Floods and the Demise of Steel in Johnstown Pat Farabaugh, 2021-10-18 Johnstown is synonymous with floodwaters and steel. When the city was decimated by a flood of biblical proportions in 1889, it was considered one of the worst natural disasters in American history and gained global attention. Sadly, that deluge was only the first of three major floods to claim lives and wreak havoc in the region. The destruction in the wake of the St. Patrick's Day flood in 1936 was the impetus for groundbreaking federal and local flood control measures. Multiple dam failures, including the Laurel Run Dam in July 1977, left a flooded Johnstown with a failing steel industry in ruins. Author Pat Farabaugh charts the harrowing history of Johnstown's great floods and the effects on its economic lifeblood. |
| deadliest floods in history: The Johnstown Flood of 1889 Charles River Charles River Editors, 2018-02-19 *Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the flood written by survivors *Includes a bibliography for further reading The deluge released by the dam's collapse carried more than 12,000 cubic meters of debris-filled water each second. Flow rates in the Mississippi River typically vary between 7,000 and 20,000 cubic meters per second. - Sid Perkins, Science News, Vol.176 In 2005, the world watched in horror as Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans, and the calamity seemed all the worse because many felt that technology had advanced far enough to prevent such tragedies, whether through advanced warning or engineering. However, the failure of human engineering like that seen in New Orleans was nothing new, and it had previously had even deadlier consequences in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Although floods rarely get as much coverage as other kinds of natural disasters like volcanic explosions, the Johnstown Flood of 1889 has remained an exception due to the sheer destruction and magnitude of the disaster. On May 31, 1889, Johnstown became a casualty of a combination of heavy rains and the failure of the South Fork Dam to stem the rising water levels of Lake Conemaugh about 15 miles away. The dam's inability to contain the water and its subsequent collapse resulted in a catastrophic flood that swept through the town with virtually no warning. With water flowing at a rate equivalent to the Mississippi River, a tide of water and debris 60 feet high and traveling 40 miles per hour in some places surged through Johnstown and swept away people and property alike. The flood ultimately resulted in the deaths of over 2,000 people and destroyed thousands of buildings, wreaking damages estimated to be the equivalent of nearly half a billion dollars today. In 1889, the Johnstown Flood was the deadliest natural disaster in American history, and though it was later surpassed by other events, the unprecedented nature of the flood led to relief efforts never before seen, including by the Red Cross. The Johnstown Flood also led to a change in laws as people tried and failed to recoup damages caused by the collapse of the dam and the subsequent flood. The Johnstown Flood of 1889 chronicles the story America's deadliest natural disaster during the 19th century. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Johnstown Flood like never before, in no time at all. |
| deadliest floods in history: The Buffalo Creek Disaster Gerald M. Stern, 2008-05-06 The suspenseful and completely absorbing story (San Francisco Chronicle) of how survivors of the worst coal-mining disaster in history triumphed over corporate irresponsibility—written by the young lawyer who took on their case and won. One Saturday morning in February 1972, an impoundment dam owned by the Pittston Coal Company burst, sending a 130 million gallon, 25 foot tidal wave of water, sludge, and debris crashing into southern West Virginia's Buffalo Creek hollow. It was one of the deadliest floods in U.S. history. 125 people were killed instantly, more than 1,000 were injured, and over 4,000 were suddenly homeless. Instead of accepting the small settlements offered by the coal company's insurance offices, a few hundred of the survivors banded together to sue. |
| deadliest floods in history: The World's Largest Floods, Past and Present Jim E. O'Connor, John E. Costa, 2004 |
| deadliest floods in history: West Side Rising Char Miller, 2022-05-10 The 1921 flood that put a spotlight on environmental and social inequality in a southwestern city |
| deadliest floods in history: Forests and Floods , 2005 |
| deadliest floods in history: Disasters in Australia and New Zealand Scott McKinnon, Margaret Cook, 2020-07-07 Disasters in Australia and New Zealand brings together a collection of essays on the history of disasters in both countries. Leading experts provide a timely interrogation of long-held assumptions about the impacts of bushfires, floods, cyclones and earthquakes, exploring the blurred line between nature and culture, asking what are the anthropogenic causes of ‘natural’ disasters? How have disasters been remembered or forgotten? And how have societies over generations responded to or understood disaster? As climate change escalates disaster risk in Australia, New Zealand and around the world, these questions have assumed greater urgency. This unique collection poses a challenge to learn from past experiences and to implement behavioural and policy change. Rich in oral history and archival research, Disasters in Australia and New Zealand offers practical and illuminating insights that will appeal to historians and disaster scholars across multiple disciplines. |
| deadliest floods in history: Repairing Your Flooded Home , 2010 When in doubt, throw it out. Don't risk injury or infection. 2: Ask for help. Many people can do a lot of the cleanup and repairs discussed in this book. But if you have technical questions or do not feel comfortable doing something, get professional help. If there is a federal disaster declaration, a telephone hotline will often be publicized to provide information about public, private, and voluntary agency programs to help you recover from the flood. Government disaster programs are there to help you, the taxpayer. You're paying for them; check them out. 3: Floodproof. It is very likely that your home will be flooded again someday. Floodproofing means using materials and practices that will prevent or minimize flood damage in the future. Many floodproofing techniques are inexpensive or can be easily incorporated into your rebuilding program. You can save a lot of money by floodproofing as you repair and rebuild (see Step 8). |
| deadliest floods in history: The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina , 2006 The objective of this report is to identify and establish a roadmap on how to do that, and lay the groundwork for transforming how this Nation- from every level of government to the private sector to individual citizens and communities - pursues a real and lasting vision of preparedness. To get there will require significant change to the status quo, to include adjustments to policy, structure, and mindset--P. 2. |
| deadliest floods in history: An Account of Two Voyages to New-England John Josselyn, 1865 |
| deadliest floods in history: Flooding and Management of Large Fluvial Lowlands Paul F. Hudson, 2021-11-25 Examines interrelations between flood management, flooding, and environmental change, for advanced students, researchers, and practitioners. |
