Natural disasters are devastating, costly, and deadly. In the United States, we are well aware of our more commonly occurring disasters based on areas, with some locations experiencing tornadoes while others experience blizzards; some areas are prone to drought and wildfires while others are likely to flood. No matter the hardship, human beings find a way to thrive. Sadly, not everyone survives the catastrophic occurrences that Mother Nature throws our way.
Listed below are the five worst floods endured in the States since the year 1900.
St Francis Dam Failure:
Less than three minutes before midnight in March of 1928, the dam located in California failed. An estimated 12.4 billion gallons of water cascaded the area, leaving 431 dead. This dam failure was later determined to be be structural, and having nothing to do with nature
Ohio River Flood:
In January of 1937, water levels began to rise and flood warnings were issued, followed by heavy rainfalls. Water levels reached 80 feet in Cincinnati, the highest water level in the cities history. Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky began to feel the aftermath of rising water levels due to the rising water in Ohio. 385 were found to be dead after this disaster.
Great Dayton Flood:
Previously in Ohio, in 1913, flooding from the Great Miami River reached Dayton, Ohio killing an estimated 360 people. The volume of water that passed through the river channel during the storms equaled the monthly flow over Niagara Falls.
Great Mississippi Flood:
Between the summer of ’26 and the spring of ’27, heavier than normal rains fell throughout Kansas, Oklahoma, and Ohio Valley causing two levees to break in Arkansas which began a chain reaction of other levees to break. 246 were later found to have been killed due to flooding.
Black Hills Flood:
In Rapid City, South Dakota in June of 1972 , Rapid Creek’s banks overflowed thanks to an approximate 15 inches of rainfall all between 6pm and midnight. By the late evening, Canyon Lake Dam failed, which only added to the ferocity of the flooding and left a death toll of 238.