189 years ago, the largest flood in the history of St. Petersburg occurred. In memory of this event, we talk about it and other deadliest floods in the world.
11 photos

Text by Sofia Demyanets, National Geographic Russia
About 200-600 dead.On November 19, 1824, a flood occurred in St. Petersburg, which killed hundreds of human lives and destroyed many houses. Then the water level in the Neva River and its canals rose by 4.14 - 4.21 meters above the usual level (ordinary).
Commemorative plaque on the Raskolnikov House:

Before the flood began, it was raining in the city and a damp and cold wind was blowing. And in the evening there was a sharp rise in the water level in the channels, after which almost the entire city was flooded. The flood did not affect only the Foundry, Rozhdestvenskaya and Karetnaya parts of St. Petersburg. As a result, the material damage from the flood amounted to about 15-20 million rubles, and about 200-600 people died.
One way or another, this is not the only flood that occurred in St. Petersburg. In total, the city on the Neva was flooded more than 330 times. Commemorative plaques have been erected in memory of many floods in the city (there are more than 20 of them). In particular, a sign is dedicated to the largest flood in the city, which is located at the intersection of the Kadetskaya line and Bolshoy Prospekt of Vasilyevsky Island.
Petersburg flood of 1824. The author of the picture: Fedor Yakovlevich Alekseev (1753-1824):


Interestingly, before the founding of St. Petersburg, the largest flood in the Neva delta occurred in 1691, when this territory was under the control of the Kingdom of Sweden. This incident is mentioned in the Swedish chronicles. According to some reports, that year the water level in the Neva reached 762 centimeters.
2. About 145 thousand - 4 million dead.From 1928 to 1930, China suffered from a severe drought. But at the end of the winter of 1930, heavy snowstorms began, and in the spring - incessant heavy rains and thaw, due to which the water level in the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers rose significantly. For example, in the Yangtze River in July alone, the water rose by 70 cm.


As a result, the river overflowed its banks and soon reached the city of Nanjing, which at that time was the capital of China. Many people drowned and died from water-borne infectious diseases such as cholera and typhoid. Cases of cannibalism and infanticide among desperate residents are known.
According to Chinese sources, about 145,000 people died as a result of the flood, at the same time, Western sources claim that the death toll was from 3.7 million to 4 million.
By the way, this was not the only flood in China caused by the overflowing waters of the Yangtze River. Floods also occurred in 1911 (about 100 thousand people died), in 1935 (about 142 thousand people died), in 1954 (about 30 thousand people died) and in 1998 (3,656 people died). Countslargest natural disaster in recorded human history.
Flood victims, August 1931:


3. Flooding on the Yellow River, 1887 and 1938 About 900 thousand and 500 thousand dead, respectively.In 1887, heavy rains fell for many days in Henan province, and on September 28, rising water in the Yellow River broke through the dams. Soon the water reached the city of Zhengzhou located in this province, and then spread throughout the northern part of China, which occupies approximately 130,000 square kilometers.The floods left about two million people in China homeless and about 900,000 people died.
And in 1938, a flood on the same river was provoked by the Nationalist government in Central China at the start of the Sino-Japanese War. This was done in order to stop the Japanese troops advancing rapidly into the central part of China. The flood has subsequently been called "the largest act of environmental warfare in history".
Thus, in June 1938, the Japanese took control of the entire northern part of China, and on June 6 they captured Kaifeng, the capital of Henan province, and threatened to capture Zhengzhou, which was located near the intersection of the important Beijing-Guangzhou and Lianyungang-Xian railways. If the Japanese army succeeded in doing this, such large Chinese cities as Wuhan and Xi'an would be under threat.
In order to prevent this, the Chinese government in Central China decided to open dams on the Yellow River near the city of Zhengzhou. Water flooded the provinces of Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu adjacent to the river.



The floods destroyed thousands of square kilometers of agricultural land and many villages. Several million people became refugees. According to China's initial figures, about 800,000 people drowned. However, nowadays researchers studying the archives of the disaster claim that much fewer people died - about 400 - 500 thousand.



Interestingly, the value of this Chinese government strategy has been questioned. Since, according to some reports, the Japanese troops at that time were far from the flooded areas. Although their attack on Zhengzhou was thwarted, the Japanese took Wuhan in October.
At least 100 thousand dead.On Saturday, November 5, 1530, on the day of St. Felix de Valois, most of Flanders, the historical region of the Netherlands, and the province of Zeeland were washed away. Researchers believe that more than 100 thousand people died. Subsequently, the day when the disaster occurred was called Evil Saturday.


5 Burchardy's Flood, 1634 About 8-15 thousand dead. On the night of October 11/12, 1634, Germany and Denmark were flooded as a result of a storm surge caused by hurricane winds. That night, dykes broke in several places along the coast of the North Sea, flooding the coastal cities and communities of North Frisia.



According to various estimates, from 8 to 15 thousand people died during the flood.
Maps of North Frisia in 1651 (left) and 1240 (right):


6. The flood of St. Mary Magdalene, 1342. Several thousand. In July 1342, on the feast day of the myrrh-bearing Mary Magdalene (the Catholic and Lutheran churches celebrate it on July 22), the largest recorded flood in Central Europe occurred.
On this day, the waters of the rivers Rhine, Mosel, Main, Danube, Weser, Werra, Unstrut, Elbe, Vltava and their tributaries flooded the surrounding lands. Many cities such as Cologne, Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Würzburg, Regensburg, Passau and Vienna were severely damaged.



According to the researchers of this disaster, after a long hot and dry period, heavy rains followed for several days in a row. As a result, about half of the average annual precipitation fell. And since the extremely dry soil could not quickly absorb such an amount of water, surface runoff flooded large areas of the territories. Many buildings were destroyed and thousands of people died. And although the total number of deaths is unknown, it is believed that about 6 thousand people drowned in the Danube region alone.
In addition, the next summer was wet and cold, so the population was left without a harvest and suffered greatly from hunger. And to everything else, the plague pandemic that took place in the middle of the XIV century in Asia, Europe, North Africa and the island of Greenland (Black Death), reached its peak in 1348-1350, taking the lives of at least a third of the population of Central Europe.

Illustration of the Black Death, 1411:

Late summer 2013 a powerful flood hit the Far East, which led to the largest flood in the last 115 years. The flood covered five subjects of the Far Eastern Federal District, the total area of ​​flooded territories amounted to more than 8 million square kilometers. In total, since the beginning of the flood, 37 municipal districts, 235 settlements and more than 13 thousand residential buildings have been flooded. Over 100 thousand people were affected. More than 23 thousand people were evacuated. The most affected were the Amur Region, which was the first to receive the blow of the elements, the Jewish Autonomous Region and the Khabarovsk Territory.

On the night of July 7, 2012 the flood flooded thousands of residential buildings in the cities of Gelendzhik, Krymsk and Novorossiysk, as well as in a number of villages in the Krasnodar Territory. Energy, gas and water supply systems, road and rail traffic were disrupted. According to the prosecutor's office, 168 people died, two more were missing. Most of the dead - in Krymsk, which fell on the heaviest blow of the elements. In this city, 153 people died, more than 60 thousand people were recognized as victims. 1.69 thousand houses are recognized as completely destroyed in the Crimean region. About 6.1 thousand houses were damaged. The damage from the flood amounted to about 20 billion rubles.

April 2004 in the Kemerovo region there was a flood due to a rise in the level of the local rivers Kondoma, Tom and their tributaries. More than six thousand houses were destroyed, 10 thousand people were injured, nine died. In the city of Tashtagol, located in the flood zone, and the villages closest to it, 37 pedestrian bridges were destroyed by flood waters, 80 kilometers of regional and 20 kilometers of municipal roads were damaged. The element also disrupted telephone communications.
The damage, according to experts, amounted to 700-750 million rubles.

In August 2002 in the Krasnodar Territory, a fleeting tornado and heavy rains passed. In Novorossiysk, Anapa, Krymsk and 15 other settlements in the region, more than 7 thousand residential buildings and office buildings fell into the flood zone. The storm also damaged 83 housing and public utilities facilities, 20 bridges, 87.5 kilometers of roads, 45 water intakes and 19 transformer substations. 424 residential buildings were completely destroyed. 59 people died. The Ministry of Emergency Situations evacuated 2.37 thousand people from dangerous areas.

In June 2002 Catastrophic flooding as a result of past heavy rains affected 9 subjects of the Southern Federal District. 377 settlements were in the flood zone. The elements destroyed 13.34 thousand houses, damaged almost 40 thousand residential buildings and 445 educational institutions. The elements claimed the lives of 114 people, another 335 thousand people were injured. Specialists of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, other ministries and departments saved a total of 62 thousand people, more than 106 thousand residents of the Southern Federal District were evacuated from dangerous areas. The damage amounted to 16 billion rubles.

July 7, 2001 in the Irkutsk region, due to heavy rains, a number of rivers overflowed their banks and flooded seven cities and 13 districts (a total of 63 settlements). Sayansk was especially affected. According to official figures, eight people died, 300 thousand people were injured, 4.64 thousand houses were flooded.

May 2001 The water level in the Lena River exceeded the maximum flood and reached a mark of 20 meters. Already in the first days after the catastrophic flood, 98% of the territory of the city of Lensk was flooded. The flood practically washed Lensk off the face of the earth. More than 3.3 thousand houses were destroyed, 30.8 thousand people were injured. In total, 59 settlements were affected in Yakutia as a result of the flood, 5.2 thousand residential buildings were flooded. The total amount of damage amounted to 7.08 billion rubles, including 6.2 billion rubles in the city of Lensk.

16 and 17 May 1998 in the area of ​​the city of Lensk, Yakutia, there was a severe flood. It was caused by an ice jam along the lower reaches of the Lena River, as a result of which the water level rose to 17 meters, while the critical level of flooding in the city of Lensk was 13.5 meters. More than 172 settlements with a population of 475 thousand people were in the flood zone. More than 50 thousand people were evacuated from the flood zone. The flood killed 15 people. The damage from the flood amounted to 872.5 million rubles.

189 years ago, the largest flood in the history of St. Petersburg occurred. In memory of this event, we talk about it and other deadliest floods in the world.

1. Petersburg flood, 1824
About 200-600 dead. On November 19, 1824, a flood occurred in St. Petersburg, which killed hundreds of human lives and destroyed many houses. Then the water level in the Neva River and its canals rose by 4.14 - 4.21 meters above the usual level (ordinary).
Commemorative plaque on the Raskolnikov House:

Before the flood began, it was raining in the city and a damp and cold wind was blowing. And in the evening there was a sharp rise in the water level in the channels, after which almost the entire city was flooded. The flood did not affect only the Foundry, Rozhdestvenskaya and Karetnaya parts of St. Petersburg. As a result, the material damage from the flood amounted to about 15-20 million rubles, and about 200-600 people died.

One way or another, this is not the only flood that occurred in St. Petersburg. In total, the city on the Neva was flooded more than 330 times. Commemorative plaques have been erected in memory of many floods in the city (there are more than 20 of them). In particular, a sign is dedicated to the largest flood in the city, which is located at the intersection of the Kadetskaya line and Bolshoy Prospekt of Vasilyevsky Island.

Interestingly, before the founding of St. Petersburg, the largest flood in the Neva delta occurred in 1691, when this territory was under the control of the Kingdom of Sweden. This incident is mentioned in the Swedish chronicles. According to some reports, that year the water level in the Neva reached 762 centimeters.

2. Flood in China, 1931
About 145 thousand - 4 million dead. From 1928 to 1930, China suffered from a severe drought. But at the end of the winter of 1930, severe snowstorms began, and in the spring - incessant heavy rains and thaw, due to which the water level in the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers rose significantly. For example, in the Yangtze River in July alone, the water rose by 70 cm.

As a result, the river overflowed its banks and soon reached the city of Nanjing, which at that time was the capital of China. Many people drowned and died from water-borne infectious diseases such as cholera and typhoid. Cases of cannibalism and infanticide among desperate residents are known.
According to Chinese sources, about 145,000 people died as a result of the flood, at the same time, Western sources claim that the death toll was from 3.7 million to 4 million.

By the way, this was not the only flood in China caused by the overflowing waters of the Yangtze River. Floods also occurred in 1911 (about 100 thousand people died), in 1935 (about 142 thousand people died), in 1954 (about 30 thousand people died) and in 1998 (3,656 people died). Considered the largest natural disaster in recorded human history.

Flood victims, August 1931:

3. Flooding on the Yellow River, 1887 and 1938
About 900,000 and 500,000 died, respectively. In 1887, heavy rains fell for many days in Henan province, and on September 28, rising water in the Yellow River broke through dams. Soon, the water reached the city of Zhengzhou, located in this province, and then spread throughout the northern part of China, covering approximately 130,000 square kilometers. Because of the flood, about two million people in China were left homeless, and about 900,000 people died.

And in 1938, a flood on the same river was provoked by the Nationalist government in Central China at the start of the Sino-Japanese War. This was done in order to stop the Japanese troops advancing rapidly into the central part of China. The flood has subsequently been called "the largest act of environmental warfare in history".

Thus, in June 1938, the Japanese took control of the entire northern part of China, and on June 6 they captured Kaifeng, the capital of Henan province, and threatened to capture Zhengzhou, which was located near the intersection of the important Beijing-Guangzhou and Lianyungang-Xian railways. If the Japanese army succeeded in doing this, such large Chinese cities as Wuhan and Xi'an would be under threat.

In order to prevent this, the Chinese government in Central China decided to open dams on the Yellow River near the city of Zhengzhou. Water flooded the provinces of Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu adjacent to the river.

Soldiers of the National Revolutionary Army during a flood on the Yellow River in 1938:

The floods destroyed thousands of square kilometers of agricultural land and many villages. Several million people became refugees. According to China's initial figures, about 800,000 people drowned. However, nowadays researchers studying the archives of the disaster claim that much fewer people died - about 400 - 500 thousand.

Yellow Yellow River:

Interestingly, the value of this Chinese government strategy has been questioned. Since, according to some reports, the Japanese troops at that time were far from the flooded areas. Although their attack on Zhengzhou was thwarted, the Japanese took Wuhan in October.
4. The flood of St. Felix, 1530

At least 100 thousand dead. On Saturday, November 5, 1530, on the day of St. Felix de Valois, most of Flanders, the historical region of the Netherlands, and the province of Zeeland were washed away. Researchers believe that more than 100 thousand people died. Subsequently, the day when the disaster occurred was called Evil Saturday.

5 Burchardy's Flood, 1634
About 8-15 thousand dead. On the night of October 11/12, 1634, Germany and Denmark were flooded as a result of a storm surge caused by hurricane winds. That night, dykes broke in several places along the coast of the North Sea, flooding the coastal cities and communities of North Frisia.

Painting depicting the Burchardi flood:

According to various estimates, from 8 to 15 thousand people died during the flood.
Maps of North Frisia in 1651 (left) and 1240 (right):

6. The flood of St. Mary Magdalene, 1342
Several thousand. In July 1342, on the feast day of the myrrh-bearing Mary Magdalene (the Catholic and Lutheran churches celebrate it on July 22), the largest recorded flood in Central Europe occurred.

On this day, the waters of the rivers Rhine, Mosel, Main, Danube, Weser, Werra, Unstrut, Elbe, Vltava and their tributaries flooded the surrounding lands. Many cities such as Cologne, Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Würzburg, Regensburg, Passau and Vienna were severely damaged.
Danube river in Regensburg, Germany:

According to the researchers of this disaster, after a long hot and dry period, heavy rains followed, which went on for several days in a row. As a result, about half of the average annual precipitation fell. And since the extremely dry soil could not quickly absorb such an amount of water, surface runoff flooded large areas of the territories. Many buildings were destroyed and thousands of people died. And although the total number of deaths is unknown, it is believed that about 6 thousand people drowned in the Danube region alone.
In addition, the next summer was wet and cold, so the population was left without a harvest and suffered greatly from hunger. And to everything else, the plague pandemic that took place in the middle of the XIV century in Asia, Europe, North Africa and the island of Greenland (Black Death), reached its peak in 1348-1350, taking the lives of at least a third of the population of Central Europe.

Illustration of the Black Death, 1411:

Details in the story: "Flood in the Czech Republic" >>

1. The flood that hit the countries of the North Sea in February 1953 led to the flooding of the coasts of Denmark, Norway, Germany, Belgium and Great Britain. The main blow was dealt by the elements to the Netherlands: due to heavy wind and storm waves, the dams holding back the pressure of sea waters could not withstand - the gushing water instantly demolished more than 130 settlements. During the rampage of the water element, Dutch rescuers evacuated about 72,000 people, 3,000 houses were completely destroyed. 2400 people are considered to be victims of the flood.

2. In 1959, a major flood occurred in France. After prolonged rains, the Malpasse dam could not stand it, a stream of destructive water rushed down the Reyran River, “covering” the city of Frejus and nearby settlements. As a result, the "big water" claimed the lives of more than 400 people, and the flood itself became a real national tragedy for France.

3. One of the largest floods in Germany happened in February 1962. Then the storm waves of the North Sea flooded most of the country's coastline. In the first hours of the flood, the water level in the Elbe River rose sharply, which flooded the German city of Hamburg standing in the river delta. Significant damage was also done to the city of Bremen, and the island of Krautzand was isolated from the outside world for several days. In total, about 300 people died, more than 500 thousand people were left homeless.

4. In 1966, the waters of the Italian rivers Po, Arno and Adige, after prolonged rains, rose significantly and hit the settlements of central Italy, demolishing fortified dams. As a result, more than 100 people died, the damage to the country's agriculture was estimated at several million lire (Italian currency before the introduction of the single European currency). Water caused especially large damage to the city of Florence and its inhabitants. In particular, the National Central Library of Florence (one of the largest libraries in Italy) was seriously damaged - more than 3 million copies of rare books and 14 thousand other works of art were damaged.

5. In the fall of 2000, a cyclone came to Europe, which provoked prolonged heavy rains. As a result, severe floods began in Sweden, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, France, Norway, eastern Spain and northern Italy. In some Italian provinces, a state of emergency was introduced, about 43 thousand people were evacuated. Major Italian cities such as Turin and Milan were flooded. 30 people drowned, the total damage to Italy amounted to 800 million dollars. In the mountainous regions of Switzerland, the rains caused major landslides and landslides. In total, the material damage from the natural disaster in France, Switzerland and Spain amounted to more than $10 million.

Heavy hailstorms and sudden snowmelt sometimes lead to catastrophic consequences - the deaths of hundreds or even thousands of people, cause significant material damage and destroy infrastructure. It is not the first time that the largest floods in the world indicate to a person who is really in charge on earth.

in 1931

One of the largest floods in the world occurred in China at the end of the first third of the twentieth century. From 1928 to 1930, the country suffered from a very severe drought, but in the winter of 1930 there were constant snowstorms, and in the spring - incessant downpours and a sharp warming, due to which the Huaihe and Yangtze rivers overflowed, the banks were washed away, and the water began to wash away nearby settlements . In the Yangtze River, the water level rose seventy centimeters in just one summer month.

The river overflowed and reached the then capital of China - the city of Nanjing. Many drowned or died from water-borne infections (typhoid, cholera, and others). Among the desperate locals, cases of child murder and cannibalism are known during this difficult time. According to local sources, about 145,000 people died, while Western sources claimed that between 3.7 and 4 million people were among the dead.

Natural Disaster in Huang He Province

The other big flood in the world also happened in China, only a few decades earlier. In 1887, it rained incessantly for many days in the Huang He province, as a result, the water level rose and the dams broke. The water soon reached the city of Zhengzhou, located in this province, and then spread throughout northern China, that is, an area of ​​about 1300 km 2. About two million people as a result of one of the worst floods in the world were left homeless, nine hundred thousand local residents died.

Flood of Saint Felix in 1630

On the day of St. Felix de Valois - one of the founders of the order of the Trinitarians - most of Flanders, the historical region of the Netherlands and the province of Zeeland, were washed away with water. It is assumed that more than a hundred thousand inhabitants became victims of the raging elements. The day when the natural disaster happened, subsequently began to be called Evil Saturday in this area.

Flood of Saint Mary Magdalene

Floods happen all over the world. The largest in Central Europe (of the documented ones) happened on the day of memory of Mary Magdalene in the summer of 1342. This memorable date is celebrated by the Lutheran and Catholic Churches on the twenty-second of July. On the day of the disaster, the Danube, Werra, Unstrut, Mosel, Rhine, Main, Elbe, Vltava and Mosel flooded the surroundings. Many cities were seriously damaged. Würzburg, Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Vienna, Cologne and others suffered.

After a long dry summer, heavy rains followed for several days in a row, approximately half of the annual rainfall fell. Dry soil did not absorb such a huge amount of water. Many houses were destroyed and thousands of people died. The total number of victims of one of the worst floods in the world is unknown, but it is believed that about six thousand local residents drowned in the coastal areas of the Danube alone.

The next summer, cold and wet, the population was left without a harvest and suffered greatly from famine. The plague epidemic was added to the troubles, which reached its peak in 1348-1350, taking the lives of at least a third of the population of central Europe. The Black Death affected the natives of Asia, North Africa, Europe and Greenland.

Tragedy in Thailand in 2011-2012

The natural disaster was caused by the strongest rains in the last half century in the central, northern and northeastern provinces of the country. From there, through the lowlands, the water went to Bangkok. In total, sixty-five provinces out of seventy-six were affected, more than thirteen thousand people died. Rain was caused by Tropical Storm Nok-ten, which hit Thailand on July 5, 2011.

The flood continued for quite some time. As a result, several industrial zones were flooded, where automobile corporations factories, hard disk factories, fifteen thousand other enterprises and eight hundred thousand residential buildings, one and a half million hectares of agricultural land and 12.5% ​​of rice fields in Thailand were located, the second largest airport in country. Material damage was estimated at a minimum of $24.3 billion (maximum $43 billion).

Flooding in Australia 2010-2011

One of the latest floods in the world (of the largest) occurred in the Australian state of Queensland. During the Christmas holidays, there were heavy showers as a result of tropical cyclone Tasha. As a result, exceeded the maximum values. In early January 2010, a natural disaster affected the state capital and the Lockyer Valley, washing away everything in its path. Only twenty-three people became victims of the disaster, but this is only because the authorities managed to evacuate about two hundred thousand local residents. Twenty cities were flooded, the damage is estimated at billions of dollars.

Spill in Myanmar

In May 2008, the strongest tropical cyclone Nargis hit the country, which led to the spill of a large water artery - the Irrawaddy speech. Streams of water washed away entire cities. Ninety thousand people were killed as a result of the natural disaster, fifty-six thousand were missing, and experts estimated the damage at ten billion dollars of the United States of America.

Ominous floods in Pakistan in the summer of 2010

One of the worst floods in the world happened in 2010 in Pakistan. The victims of the raging elements were 2 thousand people, and the damage amounted to 10 billion dollars. The flood caused a mass exodus of spiders. They fled from the water on the trees, wrapping the crowns with a thick layer of cobwebs. Therefore, coastal landscapes have acquired a truly ominous look.

Flooding in the Czech Republic in 2002

Another major flood in the world in 2002 hit Europe. The Czech Republic suffered the most. The Vltava River rose seven meters, flooded houses and the subway, almost washed away the Charles Bridge, one of the main attractions. The zoo was badly damaged by the flood. More than 100 animals died as a result. The damage amounted to 4 billion US dollars.

Natural disaster in the Philippines in 2009

More than 370 thousand people were forced to leave their homes due to the threat caused by flooding. More than 600 thousand local residents suffered from the consequences of the rampant disaster, about 300 people died. A state of emergency was declared in the capital and other cities, the work of one of the airports was suspended, flights were canceled or rescheduled, and many kilometers of traffic jams literally paralyzed the city.

Nearby countries also suffered from tropical typhoon Ketsana, which passed a few days after the flood. On Tuesday, the rains hit the coast of Vietnam and took the lives of 23 people. More than 340mm of rain fell in the Philippines in six hours. These are the heaviest rains in the country since the middle of the last century.

The island nation suffers from about twenty typhoons and tropical storms every year, but this disaster has become one of the world's major floods in the 21st century. The government even turned to the international community with a request for assistance in eliminating the consequences of the rampant disaster.

The worst floods in Russia

In the regions of the Russian Federation, heavy rainfall occurs from time to time, which leads to a rise in the water level in the rivers and creates the possibility of flooding nearby settlements. So, the biggest floods in the world happened on the territory of Russia. In 2017, for example, in Stavropol, more than 40,000 people were evacuated due to the threat of overfilling the Otkaznensky reservoir. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, 5,000 people died from the elements, about a thousand of them were children.

Another major flood in the world (the Red Cross sent funds for help, humanitarian aid came from Azerbaijan and Belarus) happened in Krymsk on July 6-7, 2012. In the entire history of the region, this natural disaster was the most devastating. The main blow fell on Krymsk, but Novorossiysk, Gelendzhik, the villages of Neberdzhaevskaya, Nizhnebakanskaya, Divnomorskoye, Kabardinka were badly damaged.

53 thousand people were recognized as victims, almost 30 thousand of them lost their property, one hundred and fifty-six people died. More than seven thousand private houses and 185 apartment buildings, nine healthcare facilities, fifteen boiler houses, three cultural facilities, eighteen educational institutions were destroyed, gas, water and energy supply systems, railway and automobile traffic were disrupted.

In May 2001, Lensk was seriously damaged by the raging elements. The city was almost completely washed away by water: in the very first days of the flood, 98% of the territory of the settlement was under water. Eight local residents were killed, and more than five thousand houses were flooded. Lensk has already become a victim of the elements before. In 1998, for example, due to ice jams on the Lena, a severe flood began. The water in the river has risen by eleven meters - this is a critical level. Almost 100 thousand people were affected, fifteen became victims of the flood.

In the summer of 2002, nine southern regions of the Russian Federation suffered from severe flooding. 377 settlements were under water. The most difficult situation has developed in Mineralnye Vody, where the water level in the river has risen five to six meters above the critical level. The damage from the impact of the elements amounted to 16 billion rubles, 300 thousand people suffered, 114 local residents became victims.