Chapter Iii the World's Disastrous River Floods
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CHAPTER III THE WORLD’S DISASTROUS RIVER FLOODS 3.1 INTRODUCTION 3.2 DISASTROUS RIVER FLOODS 3.2.1 ASIA 3.2.2 EUROPE 3.2.3 AFRICA 3.2.4 AUSTRALIA 3.2.5 NORTH AMERICA 3.2.6 SOUTH AMERICA 3.3 FLOODS IN INDIA: INTRODUCTION 3.4 DISASTROUS FLOODS IN INDIA 3.5 YEAR WISE FLOODS IN INDIA REFERENCES 32 CHAPTER III THE WORLD’S DISASTROUS RIVER FLOODS 3.1 INTRODUCTION Floods are some of the most destructive forces of the nature, causing enormous damage to life and property (Jacob, 1971, p.16). There are also the disastrous effects after floods. Since ancient times most of the human societies in the world have lived and died with floods. So in that concern many scientists have studied the impact of the floods on various sectors of economy, on its surrounding environment and on human beings. Due to the high population densities around rivers, the floods damage was very considerable through out history. Some times effects after floods killed more people than that of floods. 3.2 THE DISASTROUS RIVER FLOODS 3.2.1 Asia In Asia countries like china, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea and Bangladesh experiences the worst floods. a) China The Huang He (yellow) River flood of 1642 killed about 300,000 people in China. The Chinese rebels destroyed the dikes along the city of Kaifeng, which lead to the flooding of surrounding country side (http://www.epicdisasters.Com). In 1870 due to heavy rainfall Yangtze River of China was flooded with the peak discharge of 0.11 million cubic metres per second (106 m3/s) (http:// pubs.usgs.gov.). The 1887 Huang He (yellow) River flood caused between 900,000 and 2,000,000 deaths in China. That flood was more disastrous as compared to previous floods in China (http://www.epicdisasters.com). In September and October 1887, the failure of dike near Zhengzhou sent flood water from the river coursing through 1500 or more towns and villages this covered 25,900 km (Michael, 2006, p.142). In between the month of July and November 1931, the most catastrophic flood was listed in history of Huang He (yellow) River, China, because it covered about 88,060 km2 (88,060 sq km) and destroyed the homes of 80 people (ibid, p.83). The 33 death toll due to that disastrous flood was near about 1,000,000 to 3,700,000. There were two main reasons behind floods of Huang He River- First- High silt content that gives the river its yellow tint, Second- The broad expanse of the plain that lies around Huang He River (http: //www.epicdisasters.com.). At the same year, 1931, Yangtze River of China recorded the flood with death toll of 145, 000 (http://www.epiedisasters.com). After heavy rain Yangtze River rose 30m (97 feet) that lead to critical flood situation in the region. At the same time that flood was followed by famine. About 3.7 million people died by drowning or from starvation (ibid, p.143). In China more deaths were caused by the floods of Huang He River but the Yangtze has had more than 1000 recorded floods (ibid). The 1938, Huang He River flood of China has lead to form protection policy of China, because nationalist Chinese troops under Chiang Kai-Shek broke the levees in an attempt to turn back advancing Japanese troops. The death toll due to this flood was near about 500,000 to 900,000 (ibid).The 1975, Ru River flood in China was very disastrous, which was categorized as a technological hazard as the flood was caused due to the collapse of the Banquia dam and following a heavy rain caused by the typhoon. The death toll due to this flood was 230,000 (ibid). In 1998, 14 million people became homeless due to Yangtze River flood (http://en.wikipedia.org). b) Indonesia In the middle of May 2000, the rains combined with tidal surge and cause the floods in west Timor, Indonesia, that left about 20,000 people homeless and killed at least 140 (Michael,2006, p.83). In 2007 the Jakarta city of Indonesia was severely flooded and the death toll was 80 (http://en.wikipedia.org). c) Malaysia In December 2006 and January 2007, there were sever floods in Sabah and Sumatra in peninsular Malaysia. In the history of the 100 years of the floods in Malaysia it is found that these floods have caused very disastrous effects. During those floods more than 100,000 people were evacuated from the worst hit state of Johor (ibid). 34 d) Korea In July 1996, the two towns of Yanchon and Munsan were completely submerged under flood water due to the three days continuous rainfall along the border between north and South Korea. Nearly 50,000 people evacuated and more than 40 people were killed during that flood (Michael, 2006, p.29). In 1999 summer monsoon caused sever flooding in both north and south Korea (ibid). In May 2006, again the Korea was severely affected by flood (http:// en.wikipedia.org). e) Bangladesh In July-August 1996, heavy monsoon days caused the flooding of Ganga and Brahmputra Rivers. These floods destroyed the homes of nearly 5 million people (Michael, 2006, p.29). Some major floods in Bangladesh recorded in 1954, 1955, 1970,1985,1988 and 1998. Q Pakistan Due to the rock slide the Indus River valley was temporarily blocked within the western Himalaya, Pakistan. But when this land slide dam subjected to breaching in 1841 caused the flood of about 540,000 m3/s (cubic metre per second), probably the largest flood in the recorded history (http: //pubs.usgs.gov.). g) Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia In 2000, the delta of the Mekong River experienced the worst floods. In those floods near about 315 persons were died. 3.2.2 Europe In Europe the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Russia and Netherlands were severely affected by floods. a) United Kingdom In August 1829, floods of the Spey and Find horn Rivers in Morayshire, Scotland destroyed the normal life of Britain. The Severn in the central England was flooded in September 1852. In November 1875, Thames River rose by 28 feet (8.5 metre), this lead to the flooding of central London (Michael, 2006, p.46).The 1952 Lynmouth (U.K.) flood caused 34 deaths and it also destroyed over 80 buildings (http:// en.wikipedia.org). The flood of 1953 caused over 2000 deaths in Dutch 35 provience of Zeeland (http://www.experience festival.com). Besides that in 2002 there was flood in Glasgow (http:// en.wikipedia.org). The Valency River valley was flooded on 16th August 2004, which caused great damage to buildings in Cornwall (Great Britain). Further flooding took place in surrounding valleys and in the town of Camelford (http:// en.wikipedia.org). In January 2007, flooding on the rivers of Eden, Kent, Derwent, Greta and cocker as well as others in Cumbria, England caused the loss of 2,000 property and damage of $ 250 million (http:// en.wikipedia.org). b) France At the end of 1909 and early 1910, the France saw a period of heavy rain and snow fall over a period of three months. As a result of that the water level of the Seine River rose to a maximum of 8.62 metre from 18th January to 20th January. Near about 4 billion cubic metre of river water, contaminated with river sediment and municipal sewage, flooded over 5 sq km of Paris. As a result over 20,000 buildings were flooded and more than 150, 000 human casualties were took place (http:// en.wikipedia.org). c) Italy The Amo River flood in 1966 killed dozens of people and damaged millions of masterpieces of art and rare books in Florence, Italy (http:// en.wikipedia.org). d) Spain In 1982, there was a disastrous flood in Valencia, Spain. This flood was known as “La Pantanada”, according to various scholars this flood was the type of technological hazard. Because the river Jucar broke Tous’s reservoir provoking an avalanche of 16.000 m3 s"1, killed 30 men in that area (http://www.experience festival.com). e) Netherlands In 1099, due to the combination of high tides and storms, the Thames and Netherlands were flooded, killed 1,00,000 persons (http://www.epicdisasters.com). In 1287, a sea wall on the Zuider Zee failed this lead to the flooding of low laying polder of Netherlands. The death toll during that flood was 50,000 (ibid). The 1421, again the failure of the sea wall on the Zuider Zee flooded the Dutch low lands in the Netherlands (ibid). 36 f) Russia In 1824, an ice dam choke up the Neva River and because of that, surrounding cities where flooded severely, the death toll in that flood was 10,000 (ibid). In 18 May •3 1937, Yenisey River with the basin area of 2,582 (10 km ) thousand sq km was flooded very severely due to the melting of snow. In that flood the peak discharge of the river was 57,400 (mV1) cubic metre per second (http:// pubs.usgs.gov.). Lena River at the kasur saw sever floods in 1948,1962 and 1967 with the peak discharge of 0.17, 0.17 and 0.19 (106s4) respectively. The ice jam and the snow melt was the some cause behind those floods. In case of Ice Jam Floods-11 Ice is accumulated at the river bends forming an ice dam and when this ice dam breached rapidly released the water that created flood situation very severe”(ibid).