The 5 worst floods in US history

Unfortunately, flooding in our country has taken the lives of many Americans and have caused billions of dollars of damage to property.  Here are the top 5 floods in US history in terms of lives lost and property destroyed:


AdStock RF / Shutterstock.com

Mississippi River - 1927


Date: April-May 1927
Significance: Most destructive river flood in the history of the U.S.; 500 killed; 600,000 homeless

The sheer landmass involved in this flood makes it incredibly noteworthy. Across Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, some 16 million acres of land (26,000 square miles) were inundated with water from the mighty Mississippi. At Vicksburg, Mississippi, alone, the river was 80 miles wide. This flood shifted the influence of flood policy in the U.S., which is still impacting us today. Everything — our levee policies, the way we engineer all of these things — was built out of what people learned from the 1927 flood.


Read more: Mississippi River, 1927 - Top 10 Historic U.S. Floods - TIME http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2070796_2070798_2070780,00.html #ixzz2rQNRClXN

Ohio River - 1937



Date: January-February 1937
Significance: The flood of record for the Ohio River; $20 million in damages

The flooding was so widespread, people were left homeless some 30 miles away from the river. This impacted people for months.

Read more: Ohio River, 1937 - Top 10 Historic U.S. Floods - TIME http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2070796_2070798_2070782,00.html #ixzz2rQNn37aC

Mississippi River - 1993

Date: May-October 1993
Significance: With more than $15 billion in damages, the flood was the second costliest on record; 50 flood-related deaths

 In St. Louis, Missouri, the waters stayed at flood stage for 81 consecutive days. This is the flood that came and stayed forever.


Read more: Mississippi River, 1993 - Top 10 Historic U.S. Floods - TIME http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2070796_2070798_2070783,00.html #ixzz2rQOg5WJf

Pattie Steib / Shutterstock.com

 

Hurricane Katrina - 2005



Date: August-September 2005
Significance: With an estimated $81 billion in damages, Hurricane Katrina was the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history; more than 1,800 died; 15 million people were impacted, economically or otherwise

 Eighty percent of New Orleans was underwater and they are still feeling the impact today. The population of New Orleans has not rebounded. This hurricane, and the subsequent flooding, forever changed the city.


Read more: Hurricane Katrina, 2005 - Top 10 Historic U.S. Floods - TIME http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2070796_2070798_2070785,00.html #ixzz2rQPILXuQ

Big Thompson Canyon, Colorado - 1976


Date: July 31, 1976
Significance: $35.5 million in damages; 144 dead

Flash floods are incredibly devastating. Scientifically, they are quite interesting.  A tremendous amount of water that comes in a very short amount of time. Anytime you get in these mountainous areas, you have a potential for a flash flood. The rain started in the evening of July 31 and by the early hours of August 1, 12 inches of rain fell in this narrow canyon. The water speeds were very high and people were just washed away. They didn't have an escape; it all happened very fast.

Read more: Big Thompson Canyon, Colorado, 1976 - Top 10 Historic U.S. Floods - TIME http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2070796_2070798_2070786,00.html #ixzz2rQV9oEO5

Flood information and photos obtained from - http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2070796_2070798_2070780,00.html

 

 

Preparation is the key!

Unfortunately, the US will experience most devastating floods in the future.  Talk with your local government leaders and let them know about www.bigbagsusa.com.  Let us help protect you and your property.

Please let us know if we can help you in your flood preparation planning!

If you have an immediate need for our systems, or have any questions for us, please call at (573) 480-6699 or visit www.BigBagsUSA.com.


D.R.I.P.S.
Disaster Relief & Innovative
Protection Systems, LLC
(573) 480-6699

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Location: Camdenton, MO 65020, USA

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