1. 1887 Yellow River Flood | China
The Huang-Ho River, more famously known as the Yellow River due to its colour, breached its banks in September 1887. It has gained the nickname China’s Sorrow due to its frequent and devastating floods, which leave behind a yellow residue due to the silt carried in the river. In 1887 heavy rainfall caused water levels to breach the river's dikes (man-made earth structure usually running parallel to a river in its floodplain to protect against flooding) and reach 20 metres high, causing dams to burst which further ravages the affected areas. More than 50,000 square miles of land were covered, the water swallowing whole towns, leaving an estimated death toll of 900,000 to 2 million. Agricultural lands were destroyed, leading to widespread famine and disease outbreaks. This flood helped our understanding of large-scale flood control leading to the production of more dams, dikes and diversion canals.
2. 1938 China Floods | China
Unlike the natural causes of the 1887 Yellow River flood, the 1938 Yellow River flood was a man-made disaster in an attempt to slow the advancing Japanese troops during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The flood achieved its strategic intentions but came at an enormous human cost, economic damages and environmental impact. It is thought that 30,000 to 89,000 Chinese civilians drowned in the provinces of Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu while a further estimated 400,000 to 500,000 died from famine and plague. The flood created widespread destruction over 54,000 square miles, taking an estimated 500,000 – 900,000 lives, most of which are thought to be Chinese citizens. The 1938 Yellow River flood acts as a stark reminder of the tragic consequences using environmental modification as a weapon can bring, in 1978 The Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques (ENMOD) was introduced, ratified by 78 countries including China, the US, and the UK to prevent this devastation happening in the future.
© Stevenliuyi 2017. This work is licensed via CC BY-SA 4.0
3. 1975 Banqiao Dam Failure | China
Unfortunately, this major flood affected China once again. China is prone to flooding due to its heavy seasonal rain from May to September, which has caused it to experience some of the worst and most famous floods in history. While China has become better equipped to deal with this now, it is still a major issue threatening infrastructure and taking lives every year. In August 1975 the Banqiao Dam collapsed following Typhoon Nina, which consequently led to a total of 61 dams throughout Henan failing and/or collapsing. This created the third deadliest flood in history affecting 3 million acres worth of land. The estimated death toll is 26,000-240,000 with a large disparity as some deaths may be accounted to Typhoon Nina. More than an average yearly rainfall fell in one day (1,060mm) which resulted in the dam’s failure designed to deal with 300mm per day. It was ranked as the worst technological disaster by Discovery in 2005. While Typhoon Nina couldn’t have been predicted, this failure did highlight the critical importance of building strong damns and consistently assessing dam’s spillway capacities. The maintenance of these structures, particularly larger ones which can have devastating impacts when they fail, is crucial in preventing flooding.
© Unknown
4. 2010 Pakistan Floods | Pakistan
The 2010 Pakistan flood was one of the worst in modern history. Heavy monsoon rains caused the Indus River to flood covering an estimated one-fifth of the country – 62,000 square miles! While the death toll was lower compared to the previous floods mentioned, 1,985, this flood was severe directly affecting 20 million people through destruction of property, displacement, and infrastructure. The total economic impact was estimated to be US$43 billion and has permanently impacted Pakistan’s economy. The flood impacted every sector costing Pakistan 5.3 million jobs, 10 million livestock and a reduction in agricultural production by 15% resulting in years of negative GDP growth (-2% to -5%). The 2010 Pakistan floods highlighted the necessity for comprehensive disaster preparedness and response strategies. Improving flood forecasting, early warning systems, and building resilient infrastructure are critical to mitigating the impacts of such widespread floods. Furthermore, the response to a flood can significantly impact the outcome of a flood event in several ways, including reducing loss of life, minimising property damage, and facilitating quicker recovery.
5. 2007 United Kingdom floods | UK
The UK does not often experience major flooding so when it experienced 140mm in the month of June 2007, double the average, they were ill-prepared. Some areas even received a month’s worth of precipitation in just 24 hours. After frequent heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and an unstable airmass, British drains could no longer cope, and soil couldn’t infiltrate water quickly enough. By mid-June soil was saturated, and flooding started in the North, spreading quickly to the Midlands and Northern Ireland. Flash flooding accumulated by rivers extending the impact into floodplains however, unlike usual flooding, these floods were different in scale with high proportions of the flooding coming from surface water rather than rivers. The flooding of the Mythe Water Treatment Works left 350,000 people without water for 17 days and tens of thousands were displaced. Overall, there were 13 fatalities and was estimated to cost the UK £6.5 billion. Since the flooding the UK has upped their flood defence budget and as of 2021 it was £1.063 billion. However, the public continues to urge the government to perform regular maintenance on drainage systems, such as gully cleaning, to maintain rivers, stop developing on floodplains, and complete new flood defences.
© Tomalak Geret'kal (talk) This work is licensed via CC BY-SA 3.0
How HCL handle flood response
At Hydro Cleansing we specialise in all types of flooding, including residential, commercial, industrial, and large-scale. Our standard vacuum tankers have a capacity of 27,000 litres and can access depths of up to 30 metres below ground, enabling us to manage jobs of any size. We have experience in handling flooded businesses, flooded basements, flooded roads, flooded communal areas, flooded fields, and more. We provide immediate responses to emergencies to minimise any damage caused to properties and surrounding areas. We also offer preventative flood measures including drain unblocking, drain servicing, flooding root-cause analysis and jet-vac tinkering services.
If you are interested in any of these services, Hydro-Cleansing covers it all. Contact us today at 0800 740 8888.
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