The Worst Flood in History (and 9 Other Catastrophic Floods)

The Worst Flood in History (and 9 Other Catastrophic Floods)

Floods have shaped landscapes, destroyed cities and taken lives for centuries. This list that starts with the worst flood in history looks at some of the most catastrophic floods in recorded history, from natural disasters fueled by heavy rain to human-engineered failures that ended in tragedy.

A massive flood hit China less than 100 years ago and forever etched itself into the country's history, changing the lives of millions of citizens. "The flood not only led to a severe period of famine, but also deepened long-standing poverty and inequality," wrote Dr. Christopher Courtney about the effects of the flood.

Lomé, April 23, 2025 – (©FreePress)- Lomé is taking another major step in its fight against floods. Wednesday, April 23, 2025, the head of government, Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé, officially launched the RAINE project (Interceptors' Network for the Non-Inundation of our Spaces). It is an ambitious infrastructure programme designed to provide a sustainable response to recurrent flooding events in the Togolese capital. A state-of-the-art sanitation tec…