Flood Case Studies
Floods have always been a natural event on Earth and have long been something that human societies have had to deal with. Go through this activity to see some famous floods from history and to see examples of the causes of floods you just learned about.
Ancient Egypt, 6000 B. C.
Seasonal flooding of the Nile River in Africa permitted the establishment of the Egyptian civilization in an otherwise desert environment. What do you think caused seasonal flooding of the Nile? Hint: Think about seasonal events.
Excessive rainfall every summer caused seasonal flooding of the Nile River in Egypt. This seasonal flooding was more beneficial than harmful because the floodwaters left behind silt deposits that became fertile agricultural soil. The fertile soil allowed for the development of agricultural communities in an otherwise desert environment and allowed for the settlement of Egypt.
China, 1887 and 1931
Flooding of China’s Yellow River happened quickly after a long period of drought. What do you think caused these floods?
A massive flood of China's Yellow River occurred in 1887 and again in 1931. Excessive rainfall and snowmelt over a short period caused both floods. The Yellow River could not hold all the extra water. These floods caused several million deaths, making them some of the deadliest natural disasters ever recorded.
China, 1975
Study the image. Can you tell what caused this flood?
In 1975, a break in the Banqiao Dam in China led to a massive flood that killed over 200,000 people. A typhoon (a storm like a hurricane) caused the dam to fail.
Indian Ocean, 2004
What type of flood is this and what would have caused it?
An earthquake triggered the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 that left 230,000 people dead.
Louisiana, 2005
What likely caused flooding of this coastal town?
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina set records for storm surge levels in the Gulf of Mexico. The massive storm surge left areas of Mississippi and Louisiana severely flooded.
Mid Atlantic US, 2006
What do you think caused this large-scale summer flood in the mid-Atlantic U.S.?
A series of prolonged and heavy storms over the Mid-Atlantic U.S. triggered many floods from New Jersey all the way down to North Carolina in summer 2006.
