Flooding has brought about a median of greater than 125 deaths per 12 months in america over the previous few many years, in keeping with the Nationwide Climate Service, and flash floods are the nation’s high storm-related killer.
Right here’s a take a look at a few of the most dangerous flooding nationwide prior to now 25 years.
Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to search for victims and to rescue stranded folks in bushes and from camps remoted by washed-out roads.
Hurricane Helene, 2024
Hurricane Helene struck Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia in September 2024. The storm brought about about 250 deaths, in keeping with the Nationwide Climate Service.
Lots of those that died in Helene fell sufferer to huge inland flooding, quite than excessive winds. Helene was the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The storm decimated distant cities all through the Appalachians and left thousands and thousands with out energy, mobile service and provides. In North Carolina alone, Helene was accountable for 108 deaths, in keeping with the state’s Division of Well being and Human Providers.
Kentucky, 2022
Raging floodwaters in jap Kentucky in late July of 2022 led to 45 deaths, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tyler Roys stated Saturday.
The floods destroyed houses and companies and brought about vital harm to colleges, roads, bridges and water techniques. The catastrophe robbed 1000’s of households of all their possessions.
Tennessee, 2021
Twenty folks had been killed when creeks close to the small Center Tennessee city of Waverly overflowed after greater than greater than 17 inches (43 centimeters) of rain fell within the space in lower than 24 hours in August 2021.
Properties had been washed off their foundations, automobiles had been wrecked and companies had been demolished. The useless included twin infants who had been swept from their father’s arms.
Hurricane Harvey, 2017
Hurricane Harvey barreled into Texas in August 2017 as a robust Class 4 storm. Harvey hovered for days because it trudged inland, dumping a number of ft of rain on many Gulf Coast communities and the Houston space.
Harvey killed no less than 68 folks, in keeping with a Nationwide Hurricane Heart report. All however three of the Harvey deaths had been instantly attributed to freshwater flooding, which broken greater than 300,000 buildings and brought about an estimated $125 billion in harm.
West Virginia, June 2016
A rainstorm that originally appeared like no huge deal became a disaster in West Virginia, trapping dozens of individuals in the course of the night time and finally leaving 23 folks useless across the state.
Superstorm Sandy, 2012
Superstorm Sandy was a a late fall freak mixture of a hurricane and different storms that struck New York and surrounding areas in October 2012.
Sandy killed 147 folks, 72 within the jap U.S., in keeping with the Nationwide Hurricane Heart. Greater than 110 deaths had been attributed to drowning, Roys stated.
Mississippi River, 2011
Heavy rainfall in a number of states, plus a larger-than-normal sluggish soften, led rivers within the Mississippi River Basin to swell and flood in 2011.
Flash floods related to these storms brought about 24 deaths throughout Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee in April and Could, in keeping with the Nationwide Climate Service.
Hurricane Ike, 2008
Hurricane Ike struck the Southeast Texas Gulf Coast in September 2008, making a storm surge as excessive as 20 ft (6 meters) within the island metropolis of Galveston.
Ike then poured greater than 4 ft (1.2 meters) of rain on Houston, destroying 1000’s of automobiles and leaving a whole bunch of 1000’s of households with flood-damaged houses.
In all, Ike was accountable for greater than 100 deaths, many brought on by flooding.
Hurricane Katrina, 2005
Hurricane Katrina is the deadliest flood occasion within the U.S. prior to now 25 years.
The storm crashed into the Gulf Coast and brought about devastating flooding when levees failed in New Orleans, the place folks needed to be rescued by boat and helicopter from rooftops.
The most costly storm in U.S. historical past, Katrina brought about practically 1,400 deaths and an estimated $200 billion in damages.
Tropical Storm Allison, 2001
Tropical Storm Allison brought about 41 deaths, largely attributed to flooding brought on by 40 inches (101 centimeters) of rain that fell in Texas and Louisiana, Roys stated.
Allison remained a menace for days as its remnants lingered after making landfall in June 2001, inflicting main flooding in Houston.
