Worst Floods in U.S. History

The United States has seen its fair share of terrible floods since its founding in 1776. Over the course of several centuries, many notable floods have struck, illustrating the destructive power of water. Unfortunately, people were in the paths of these worst floods and lost their businesses, their homes, and even their lives.

Galveston Hurricane and Floods

The deadliest natural disaster in American history remains the 1900 hurricane in the island city of Galveston, Texas. On September 8, a category four hurricane descended on the town, destroying more than 3,600 buildings with winds surpassing 135 miles per hour and a 15-foot storm surge. Estimates of the death toll range from 6,000 to 12,000, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. The National Weather Service predicted the storm would hit farther east and warnings coming from Cuba were largely ignored. The port city was unprepared and was devastated, causing the booming port city to never fully recover. 

Johnstown Floods

On May 31, 1889, after several days of heavy rain, the South Fork Dam in Pennsylvania collapsed. Nearly 20,000,000 tons of the water from Lake Conemaugh rushed forward at 40 miles per hour, sweeping away everything in its path and killing more than 2,200 people, including almost 100 entire families. The cost of all the damage was $12.6 billion and this was the first disaster the American Red Cross was involved in. Unfortunately, the 1889 flood would not be Johnstown's last. Snowmelt and heavy rain resulted in regional flooding on March 17, 1936, that caused floodwaters as high as 14 feet, killing about two dozen people in the Johnstown area and damaging thousands of buildings. Johnstown then encountered another deadly flood on July 19-20, 1977, when localized but intense nighttime thunderstorms produced nearly 12” of rain in the area.

Ohio Statewide Floods

In late March 1913, the worst weather event in the history of Ohio occurred. Heavy rains in March 1913 exacerbated the flood conditions, with the most severe flooding along the Great Miami River, particularly in Dayton. Fast-moving water 10 feet deep flew through downtown Dayton, killing 123 people. Property damage was extensive, with the flooding damaging or destroying over 38,000 homes and claiming between 422 and 470 lives. Factories, railroads, and other structures also saw major losses. The damage done to the entire state topped $82.4 billion dollars, and flood control reservoirs were established by the Miami Conservancy District. The Ohio River also flooded in late January and February 1937. With damage stretching from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois, 385 people died, one million people were left homeless and property losses reached $500 million. 

Hurricane Katrina Flooding

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in southeast Louisiana. Katrina caused over 1,800 deaths and $100 billion in damage. New Orleans was particularly hit hard due to flooding. The hurricane’s 19-foot storm surge breached the city’s flood walls and the levees. The failure of New Orleans’s flood-protection system was blamed on engineering flaws. Foundations of flood walls did not extend deep enough in the ground to support the force of the floodwater. To make matters worse, man-made canals funneled the storm surge into populated areas.

Mississippi River Flood Of 1927

The great Mississippi River flood of 1927 was one of the worst natural disasters in American history. A combination of heavy rainfall and failed levees sent a volume of water approximately 1.7 million cubic feet per second rushing downstream from Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico, flooding 27,000 square miles of land, displacing 700,000 people, and causing over $400 million in damage. The Great Flood of 1927 has had a lasting impact on Mississippi. In 1928, the Flood Control Act was passed giving the federal government control over the lower Mississippi River. Thus, towns along the river such as Greenville and its citizens were no longer responsible for building and maintaining their local levees.

Hurricane Camille Flooding Of 1969

The Category 5 hurricane hit the Gulf in August of 1969, then it moved inland from there. The remnants of Camille pushed through the Appalachian Mountains, producing prolific rains and flooding in southeastern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia. The most severe flooding occurred along the James River and its tributaries, which led to numerous landslides on the eastern slopes of the mountains, which swept into hollows destroying roads, homes, bridges, and railroads. At least 25-30 inches of rain fell on the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the floods and landslides killed 150 people.

Rapid City Flood Of 1972

The flash flood that hit Rapid City, S.D., on June 9, 1972, killed 238 people and damaged or washed away more than 1,300 homes. Powerful thunderstorms located over the Black Hills west of Rapid City and dropped as much as 15 inches of rain in some places. The surge of water that barreled down Rapid Creek took with it almost everything it encountered, including houses, cars, and people. The financial loss was tremendous, estimated at $165 million throughout the Black Hills area.

Big Thompson Canyon Flood Of 1976

On July 31, 1976, a large stationary thunderstorm produced tremendous rainfall in a few hours, which created a flash flood that caught residents and tourists by surprise. Fast-moving water churned down the narrow Big Thompson Canyon, scouring out the river channel and destroyed everything in its path, including 418 homes, 52 businesses, numerous bridges, paved and unpaved roads, power and telephone lines, and many other structures. It became the deadliest natural disaster in Colorado history, claiming 144 lives and causing $35 million of damages.

Mississippi River Flood Of 1993

The Great Flood of 1993 occurred from May through September along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and their tributaries. The flooding was widespread, covering nine states and 400,000 square miles, and lasting at some locations for nearly 200 days. Some areas received more than 4 feet of rain during the period.  During June through August 1993, rainfall totals surpassed 12 inches across the eastern Dakotas, southern Minnesota, eastern Nebraska, Wisconsin, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. From May through September of 1993, major and/or record flooding occurred across North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Fifty flood deaths occurred, and damages approached $15 billion. 

These events that span the history of the United States are stark reminders that flooding remains one of the most terrifying forces on Earth. Year after year, more deaths occur from flooding than any other hazard except for heat related fatalities, because most people fail to realize the power of water. Next time you are driving or walking, and you come to a flooded road, remember to turn around, don't drown.

Image: Destruction in Johnstown after the flood on June 1, 1889. Courtesy of Johnstown Flood National Memorial.