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This list of notable flash floods summarizes the most widely reported events.

Date Fatalities Cause Description
11 March 1864 240 dam failure Great Sheffield Flood, Sheffield, England
31 May 1889 2200 dam failure Johnstown Flood Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
14 June 1903 247 thunderstorm Heppner Flood of 1903, Oregon, U.S. Second-deadliest flash flood in the United States; killed almost a quarter of the town's residents.
11 July 1912 8 thunderstorm Mazuma, Nevada, Postmistress among the dead. Relief efforts included a fund set up by William Randolph Hearst.
15 January 1919 21 dam failure Great Molasses Flood, Boston, U.S. A 8-to-15-foot (2.4 to 4.6 m) wall of molasses from a collapsed distillation storage tank moved through the streets at 35 miles per hour (56 km/h) killing 21, injuring 150
20 March 1929 1 heavy rain 1929 New Zealand cyclone, Otago and Canterbury, New Zealand. Flooding in many parts of the South Island, especially around the city of Dunedin, where 139 millimetres (5.5 in) of rain fell in 24 hours. A railway worker died in a washout on the line between Dunedin and Ranfurly
19 February 1938 21 thunderstorm Kopuawhara flash flood of 1938, Māhia Peninsula, New Zealand: a temporary camp for rail workers next to a river was hit by a 5-metre (16 ft) high wall of water[1] already swollen by heavy rain associated with Typhoon Haikui.[2]
15 August 1952 34 heavy rain Lynmouth Flood, England
31 January 1953 2394 heavy storm North Sea flood of 1953, The Netherlands, Belgium, England, Scotland, a combination of a high spring tide and a severe European windstorm over the North Sea caused a storm tide. As a result, the Dutch Delta Works were authorized, an elaborate project to enable emergency closing of the mouths of most estuaries, to prevent flood surges upriver.
17 June 1965 0 heavy rain 1965 Philmont Scout Ranch flash flood, Philmont Scout Ranch, New Mexico
25 November 1967 464 heavy rain 115 to 129 millimetres (4.5 to 5.1 in) rain in 5 hours at up to 30 millimetres (1.2 in) per hour near Lisbon, Portugal[3]
4 January 1971 32 monsoon Kuala Lumpur floods, Malaysia
9 June 1972 238 dam failure Black Hills flood, South Dakota, U.S., 15 inches (38 cm) in 6 hours
31 July 1976 143 thunderstorm Big Thompson River flood, Colorado, U.S.
11 August 1979 1800–25,000 dam failure Machchu-2 dam failed due to heavy upstream rain, washed out the town of Morbi and nearby villages of Gujarat, India. Estimated deaths ranged from 1800 to 25,000 people. Considered worst flash flood of history.
24 July 1982 299 heavy rain maximum 187 millimetres (7.4 in) rainfall per an hour in Nagayo, Nagasaki, floods, landslides, and bridge, house, buildings collapses occur simultaneously in the suburbs of Nagasaki, Kyushu Island, Japan[4]
19 November 1983 10 heavy rain maximum rate of 24 millimetres (0.94 in) in 30 minutes near Lisbon, Portugal, with similar intensity of 1967 event; much lower fatalities due to lessons learned[3]
14 June 1990 26 heavy rain Shadyside, Ohio, U.S.[5]
16 June 1990 4 thunderstorm Duck Creek Floods of 1990 near Davenport, Iowa, U.S.[6]
12 August 1997 11 thunderstorm Antelope Canyon, Arizona, U.S.
20 July 1998 63 heavy rain Jarovnice, Slovakia. Combination of heavy rain and collapse of dam formed by debris caused flood wave inundated the unprotected Romani settlement.
18 October 1998 31 heavy rain San Marcos, Texas, U.S., rains totaling from 15 to 30 inches (380 to 760 mm)[7]
11 September 2000 10 heavy rain

According to Japan Meteorological Agency official confirmed report, a 100 millimetres (3.9 in) to 114 millimetres (4.5 in) principation per a single hour, total 428 millimetres (16.9 in) to 492 millimetres (19.4 in) principation per twelve hours, following flash flooded in Nagoya and surrounding area, another 150 persons were wounded, Japanese government official confirmed report.[8]

30 August 2003 6 heavy rain Jacobs Creek Flood, Kansas Turnpike near Emporia, Kansas, U.S.
16 August 2004 0 heavy rain Boscastle flood, Cornwall, England
6 August 2006 350 heavy rain eastern Ethiopia, tens of thousands displaced[9][10]
13 August 2006 125 heavy rain southern Ethiopia, hundreds of thousands displaced[9]
3 July 2007 64 Sudan floods
2 November 2007 0 heavy rain Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, U.S.[11]
12 June 2008 0 thunderstorm The 12–13 June 2008 floods around Duck Creek in Davenport, Iowa, U.S.[12]
4 August 2009 0 thunderstorm The 2009 Kentuckiana Flash Flood resulted from 3 to 6 inches (76 to 152 mm) of rain falling in less than an hour near Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
9 September 2009 31 heavy rain Turkish flash floods.
19 September 2009 10 heavy rain 2009 Southeastern United States floods included flash flooding around Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.[13]
26 September 2009 100 tropical storm Metro Manila, primarily Marikina, Taguig, and Pasig; and several municipalities in the provinces of Rizal, Bulacan, and Laguna, taking more than a hundred lives and leaving thousands of affected residents homeless. It also submerged several municipalities under feet deep of water for several weeks. It was caused by Typhoon Ketsana.
1 October 2009 37 heavy rain Giampilieri, Messina, Sicily. See Also 2009 Messina floods and mudslides
10 October 2009 10–13 October in Northern Luzon causing major landslides in the Cordillera Mountains (Philippines), and submerging 80% of the Province of Pangasinan.
October 2009 0 heavy rain In late October, a rainy nor'easter caused several flash floods in Southeast Virginia (U.S.) and injured over 100 people.
25 November 2009 122 heavy rain More than 122 people died in flash floods that swept away highways and neighborhoods in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which was caused by heavy rains.[14]
20 February 2010 42 heavy rain 2010 Madeira floods and mudslides: 108 to 165 millimetres (4.3 to 6.5 in) of rain fell in 5 hours, much more than the monthly February average of 88 millimetres (3.5 in). 51 people died, 250 were injured, and at least eight people went missing.
April 2010 April–May: The great Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., flood. Water in the Cumberland river rose, flooding downtown Nashville and surrounding areas.
11 June 2010 20 heavy rain The Little Missouri River rose over 20 feet in only a few hours, 2010 Arkansas floods
24 July 2010 0 dam failure Delhi Dam on Iowa's Maquoketa River breached after 9 inches (230 mm) of rainfall. 8,000 people evacuated and 15 ft. chunks of highway broke off and swept down river. Contributed to flooding the Mississippi River in Davenport, Iowa.
July 2010 1400 monsoon Mid–July till mid-August, Pakistan's three provinces were badly affected during the monsoon rains when dams, rivers and lakes overflowed killing at least 1400 people and affecting 3.5 million people.
6 August 2010 180 cloud burst Leh, India. More than 180 people were reported to have died with 400 missing and 300 injured due to flash floods, caused probably due to cloud burst. Injured and stranded public have been airlifted by Indian army.[15]
4 October 2010 7 chemical plant accident flood caused by the Ajka alumina plant accident in western Hungary[16] A dam wall collapsed, freeing about one million cubic metres (35 million cubic feet) of highly alkaline liquid waste, called red mud, from the Ajkai Timföldgyár alumina plant in Ajka,[17][18] Veszprém County. The mud was released as a 1–2 m (3–7 ft) wave, flooding several nearby localities, including the village of Kolontár and the town of Devecser. The flood killed seven persons and the high pH (~13) of the sludge burned several hundred people and devastated more than 40 km2 of ground in the basin of the Danube river.
18 October 2010 0 heavy rain St. Lucia, West Indies:[19] The flood displaced about 500 people and received immediate assistance from local government and international organizations. No fatalities or injuries were reported.[20]
27 – 28 July 2011 1 heavy rain Dubuque County, Iowa – Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States.[21]
11 January 2011 35 heavy rain 2010–2011 Queensland floods, Australia[22]
7 July 2012 172 heavy rain 2012 Russian floods Krasnodarsky krai, Russia[23]
7 August 2012 89 monsoon 2012 Philippine floods Monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Haikui brought torrential rain and floods to Metro Manila and nearby provinces[24]
1 April 2013 101 rain storm 2013 Argentina floods For five hours there was extremely heavy rainfall on northeastern section of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, resulting in several flash floods that claimed the lives of at least 101 people. Greater La Plata was hardest hit with 91 reported deaths, and Greater Buenos Aires reported ten deaths. Is the worst flooding in La Plata's history.[25]
17 November 2013 18 heavy rain Cyclone Cleopatra, Northeast Sardinia. See Also 2013 Sardinia floods
29 – 30 April 2014 2+ heavy rain Alabama, Florida
7 June 2014 73 rain storm 2014 Baghlan floods High rainfall contributed to the flash flood which destroyed hundreds of mud homes.[26]
27 June 2015 1 heavy rain 2015 Philmont Scout Ranch flash flood, Philmont Scout Ranch, New Mexico
7 July 2015 0 heavy rain 2015 Ghost Ranch flash flood, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico
14 September 2015 16+ rain storms 2015 Utah floods Sudden downpours caused flash flooding of canyons in Hildale, Utah, and Zion National Park, killing at least 16 and possibly 20 people.[27]
25 October 2015 17+ rain storms Alexandria and Nile Delta region of Northern Egypt. Strong rains on 25 October and 4 November caused flash flooding and resulted in the deaths of at least 17 people, including five electrocuted when a tram power line collapsed into a puddle.[28]
5 November 2015 3 rain storms Flash flooding occurred in the Jordanian capital Amman causing 3 deaths when a severe thunderstorm lasted over 30 minutes.
30 July 2016 2 heavy rain 2016 Maryland flood – A historic and deadly flash flood struck Ellicott City, Maryland due an estimated 6 inches (15 cm) of rain falling in the city within only two hours. It was said to have been a "1000-year flood" event by the NWS.
15 July 2017 10 heavy rain, wildfire burn scar 2017 Payson flash floods A flash flood occurred at a popular swimming hole near Payson, Arizona, the flood killed 10 members of an extended family.
15 November 2017 24 heavy rain 2017 West Attica floods Flash floods occurred in the towns of Mandra, Nea Peramos and Megara, towards west of Athens, due to heavy rain. 24 people were killed due to this disaster along with significant damage to property.[29]
26 April 2018 10 heavy rain Heavy rainfall in the Negev desert caused a flash flood in the Tzafit canyon trapping a group of hikers and resulting in 10 fatalities.[30]
27 May 2018 1 heavy rain 2018 Maryland flood Just two years after a historic and deadly flash flood struck the region, another heavy rain bought around 8 inches (20 cm) in two hours to Elliccott City, Maryland, resulting in a disastrous that was assessed to be much worse than the previous one. This was the second "1000-year flood" event in two years.
4 July 2018 0 heavy rain Heavy rainfall caused flash flooding in Houston, Texas, and the surrounding area, causing the cancellation of 4 July festivities.[31]
5 July 2018 0 heavy rain Heavy rainfall caused flash flooding in Canton, Ohio, and other parts of Stark County.[32]
21 August 2018 11 heavy rain A flash flood in a gorge in the southern Italian region of Calabria killed 11 hikers.[33]
25 October 2019 10 heavy rain Heavy rainfall, total 60 to 120 millimetres (2.4 to 4.7 in) per an hour, and 160 to 280 millimetres (6.3 to 11.0 in) on twelve hours precipitation, and resulting to flash flooding, landslide around Boso Peninsula, Chiba Prefecture, Japan.[34]
20 July 2021 302 (50 missing) heavy rain According to China Meteorological Administration official confirmed report, a heavy rain 617.1 millimetres (24.30 in) past three days by 20 July, including 201.9 millimetres (7.95 in), per a single hour in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China. According to Chinese government official confirmed report, flood swept and many persons and vehicles struck in downtown area, and part section of Zhengzhou Subway Line 5 also damaged, and flash flooding hit neighborhooud Kaifeng, Luohe, Xinxiang, total government and economic damaged on 90.98 billion renminbi (14.08 billion US dollars).[citation needed]
12 August 2021 21 (4 missing) heavy rain According to China Meteorological Administration official confirmed report, a heavy rain 459 millimetres (18.1 in) to 519 millimetres (20.4 in) past 18 hours by 12 August in Suizhou, Yicheng, Liulin, Hubei Province, China. including 117.9 millimetres (4.64 in), per a single hour in Liulin. According to Chinese government official confirmed report, flood swept and many persons and vehicles struck in widely area.[citation needed]
18 August 2021 0 heavy rain In Gävle, Sweden, 161.6 mm of rain was measured by an automatic weather station during a period of 24 hours within the area, 101 mm of which fell in just 2 hours[35] resulting in considerable flooding within multiple counties, including Gävleborg County & Dalarnas county. Entire neighborhoods were flooded, landslides occurred & vehicles were submerged into the waters[36][37][38][39][40]
24 July – 1 August 2022 40 heavy rain July–August 2022 United States floods. From July 26 to August 1, 2022, severe rainfall fell on areas of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Two deaths were reported in Greater St. Louis after 10 inches of rain on July 26. In Eastern Kentucky, up to 10.4 in of rain caused rivers to rise by up to 15 feet in a few hours, resulting in 38 deaths. The storms caused $1.2 billion in damage in Kentucky and Missouri.[41]
21 – 22 August 2022 1 (0 missing) heavy rain 2022 Dallas floods
26 July 2022 1 (0 missing) heavy rain 12.86 millimetres (0.506 in) was reported in a span of 5 hours in July 26, 2022 in St. Louis, Missouri.[citation needed]
27 January 2023 4 heavy rain 2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods. NIWA reports a record breaking 260.6 millimeters (10 in) fell across the city of Auckland, New Zealand in a span of 8 hours, landslides have destroyed homes, over $10 million worth of high-end luxury vehicles severely damaged.[42][43][44][45]
12 – 13 April 2023 0 heavy rain 2023 Fort Lauderdale floods. On April 12, 2023, a historic flash flood event occurred in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and surrounding areas. The Fort Lauderdale area reported 25.6 inches (65 cm) of rain within approximately 12 hours[46]
21 – 22 July 2023 3 (1 missing) heavy rain 2023 Nova Scotia floods

See also

References

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  33. ^ Italy: At least 11 killed by flash flood in Calabria gorge
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  40. ^ "GÄVLE: Kraftiga översvämningar • Bilar fast i vattnet • Skolan inställd". YouTube.
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