From Hurricane Katrina to dam disasters: These are some of the worst floods in US history
The devastating flooding in Texas' Hill Country has shocked and scared the nation, with Americans from coast to coast waiting for news from ongoing rescue efforts.
Dozens of people have died – including young campers and counselors from an area summer camp – as floodwaters destroyed parts of central Texas. Unrelenting rain quickly changed the region's terrain: In Kerrville, Texas, a gauge measured the Guadalupe River's waters at less than a foot on July 3 to more than 34 feet in the early hours of July 4.
This was far from the first time Americans have mourned the victims of deadly floods. Here's what to know about some of the worst flooding events in American history, in order of most lives lost.
1889: The Johnstown Flood
The deadliest flood in the nation's history was caused by a dam break upstream from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. More than 2,200 people in western Pennsylvania died as a result of the failure on May 31, 1889.
The South Fork Dam released 20,000 tons of water, according to the National Parks Service, and people can still visit the Johnstown Flood National Memorial today to pay tribute the the victims.
2005: Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina devastated America's Gulf Coast in August 2005. The levee system in New Orleans failed as the Category 4 hurricane brought intense rain and winds, causing widespread destruction in the region.
Damage soared above $100 billion, according to the National Weather Service, and 1,833 people died. Images of Americans being rescued from rooftops are still ingrained in the country's memory.
1913's Great Flood
The Great Flood of 1913 started in the Midwest on March 21, 1913, according to Case Western Reserve University. In a span of five days, storms dropped 11 inches of water on Ohio, which was as much rainfall as the state typically saw in three months.
Cities across the state – Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton ‒ were all impacted. At least 467 people died, and the state estimated over $100 million in property damage.
1928: St. Francis dam disaster
The St. Francis Dam disaster is known as one of the worst failures of civil engineering in the 20th century.
The dam was built to create a reservoir northwest of Los Angeles, according to the United States Geological Survey. It collapsed just before midnight on March 12, 1928, according to the University of California – Los Angeles, killing approximately 450 people.
Nearly 12.4 billion gallons of water rushed along the San Francisquito Canyon, and water gauges measured 140 feet in parts of the region.
1937: Ohio River flood
The floods along the Ohio River in 1937 were fueled by record-breaking rainfall, the Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network reported.
At least 350 people died in the flooding, according to the National Weather Service, and it left nearly 1 million people homeless as the nation grappled with the Great Depression. Rains brought parts of the river to an estimated 80 feet, and 15 to 20% of Cincinnati was covered by water.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tornado near track cancels IndyCar practices Friday at Iowa Speedway. What we know
NEWTON, Iowa — IndyCar's on-track action Friday in preparation for its doubleheader race weekend at Iowa Speedway was canceled as severe thunderstorms rolled through the area surrounding the track, including a tornado that touched down less than two miles from the track. Indy NXT managed to run most of its lone practice of the weekend before yellow flags came out at 2:01 p.m. local time (CT) for rain drops that began to fall, giving the junior series just under 30 minutes of running before the storms arrived. Advertisement IndyCar was scheduled to have its first of two weekend practice sessions starting at 2:35 p.m., one meant for drivers to solely run the high-line around the track in an effort to lay down rubber and help the quality of the racing this weekend, but at 2:12 p.m., lightning strikes were spotted within eight miles of Iowa Speedway, putting on-track action on an indefinite hold as patrons were asked to exit the grandstands and seek shelter. Various members of the IndyCar and Indy NXT paddocks hunkered down inside the Newton Club suites and the infield media center, the two largest permanent structures around the track. A tornado warning was announced by the National Weather Service at 2:28 p.m., followed shortly by several rounds of tornado sirens. A wall cloud and cloud rotation could be seen just north of the track, with additional rotation spotted to the south. According to a race official, a tornado touched down 1.5 miles from Iowa Speedway. A tornado warning for the area surrounding the track expired at 3:15 p.m., though a tornado watch continued until 8 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. IndyCar was scheduled to hold its high-line practice from 2:35 to 3:20 p.m., with its lone traditional practice just afterwards from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Qualifying for Indy NXT's race Saturday was slated for 5:35 to 6:20 p.m. Friday early evening. Advertisement Insider: IndyCar paddock 'kinda sad' to be back at Iowa Speedway. Series tries to improve races since repave Just before 4 p.m. as rain continued to fall at the track, IndyCar announced that on-track activity for the rest of the day had been canceled and would resume Saturday. In the revised Saturday schedule at Iowa Speedway, IndyCar will hold a 30-minute high-line running session from 10-10:30 a.m. (ET), followed by an all-cars practice from 10:45-11:30 a.m. Indy NXT will then hold its lone race of the weekend starting at noon until roughly 1 p.m. IndyCar's qualifying session for both races will run from 1:30-2:30 p.m. As scheduled, IndyCar's race broadcast on Fox will kick-off at 5 p.m. with the green flag scheduled for 5:20 p.m. IndyCar's practice action will air on FS2, with Indy NXT's race and IndyCar qualifying being shown on FS1. Advertisement Get IndyStar's motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Confirmed tornado cancels IndyCar practice at Iowa Speedway; updated schedule
San Francisco Chronicle
39 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Unhealthy smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets the Upper Midwest when people want to be outside
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Much of the Upper Midwest on Saturday was dealing with swaths of unhealthy air due to drifting smoke from Canadian wildfires, covering the northern region of the U.S. at a time when people want to be enjoying lakes, trails and the great outdoors. Most of Minnesota and parts of Montana, North Dakota and Wisconsin were ranked 'unhealthy' for air quality on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency map. Part of North Dakota that is home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and other tourist attractions was ranked 'very unhealthy,' some of the worst air quality in the nation. In Minnesota, 'If you have a nice pork loin you can hang from a tree, it'll turn into ham,' quipped Al Chirpich, owner of the Hideaway Resort near Detroit Lakes, where people come to enjoy tree-lined Island Lake for fishing and other water activities. Normally there would be boats and jet skis all over, but on Saturday he couldn't see a boat on the lake, where the smoke impaired visibility and curtailed his camper business. None of his 18 RV sites was occupied. His seven rental cabins drew a handful of customers. 'I suspect when the weather clears, we'll be swamped again. Fourth of July, I had probably 20 boats here lined up at my docks, and today my boat is the only one,' Chirpich said. The conditions started Friday, dragging smoke from the Canadian wildfires down to the surface, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Jennifer Ritterling, in Grand Forks. Periods of bad air quality are expected to last through the weekend in the region, she said. Limiting time outdoors, keeping windows closed and running air purifiers are good ideas for people with lung conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and even healthy people, Ritterling said. 'Our summers up here are fairly short and so everyone wants to get out and enjoy them, and it's a little frustrating when there's this smoke in the air,' she said. All of Manitoba is under a state of emergency due to the wildfires, which have led to 12,600 people evacuating their homes in the province. The fires in Manitoba have burned over 3,861 square miles (10,000 square kilometers), the most land burned in 30 years of electronic recordkeeping, the news outlet reported. Under 1,000 people have evacuated their homes in Saskatchewan, where wildfires also continue to burn. In Arizona, the North Rim in Grand Canyon National Park is still closed due to a 2.3 square-mile (6.1 square-kilometer) wildfire and another fire nearby on Bureau of Land Management land that has burned nearly 17 square miles (44 square kilometers). In Colorado, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park remains closed due to a 4.4 square mile (11.3 square kilometer) wildfire burning on the South Rim of the park, known for its dramatic, steep cliffs. Crews have been fighting the fire on multiple sides to stop it from spreading. Chirpich, the Minnesota resort owner, said he has plans to go to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park on Thursday and is 'a bit pensive about how that's going to be there.' 'I'm going to leave one smokehouse for another, I guess,' he said.
Hamilton Spectator
42 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Unhealthy smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets the Upper Midwest when people want to be outside
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Much of the Upper Midwest on Saturday was dealing with swaths of unhealthy air due to drifting smoke from Canadian wildfires, covering the northern region of the U.S. at a time when people want to be enjoying lakes, trails and the great outdoors. Most of Minnesota and parts of Montana, North Dakota and Wisconsin were ranked 'unhealthy' for air quality on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency map. Part of North Dakota that is home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and other tourist attractions was ranked 'very unhealthy,' some of the worst air quality in the nation. In Minnesota, 'If you have a nice pork loin you can hang from a tree, it'll turn into ham,' quipped Al Chirpich, owner of the Hideaway Resort near Detroit Lakes, where people come to enjoy tree-lined Island Lake for fishing and other water activities. Normally there would be boats and jet skis all over, but on Saturday he couldn't see a boat on the lake, where the smoke impaired visibility and curtailed his camper business. None of his 18 RV sites was occupied. His seven rental cabins drew a handful of customers. 'I suspect when the weather clears, we'll be swamped again. Fourth of July, I had probably 20 boats here lined up at my docks, and today my boat is the only one,' Chirpich said. The conditions started Friday, dragging smoke from the Canadian wildfires down to the surface, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Jennifer Ritterling, in Grand Forks. Periods of bad air quality are expected to last through the weekend in the region, she said. Limiting time outdoors, keeping windows closed and running air purifiers are good ideas for people with lung conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and even healthy people, Ritterling said. 'Our summers up here are fairly short and so everyone wants to get out and enjoy them, and it's a little frustrating when there's this smoke in the air,' she said. All of Manitoba is under a state of emergency due to the wildfires, which have led to 12,600 people evacuating their homes in the province. The fires in Manitoba have burned over 3,861 square miles (10,000 square kilometers), the most land burned in 30 years of electronic recordkeeping, the news outlet reported. Under 1,000 people have evacuated their homes in Saskatchewan, where wildfires also continue to burn. In Arizona, the North Rim in Grand Canyon National Park is still closed due to a 2.3 square-mile (6.1 square-kilometer) wildfire and another fire nearby on Bureau of Land Management land that has burned nearly 17 square miles (44 square kilometers). In Colorado, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park remains closed due to a 4.4 square mile (11.3 square kilometer) wildfire burning on the South Rim of the park, known for its dramatic, steep cliffs. Crews have been fighting the fire on multiple sides to stop it from spreading. The fires in and near both national parks led to evacuations of hundreds of people. Chirpich, the Minnesota resort owner, said he has plans to go to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park on Thursday and is 'a bit pensive about how that's going to be there.' 'I'm going to leave one smokehouse for another, I guess,' he said.
