Yellow River Flood - China’s Sorrow (1931)
Description
The 1931 Yellow River Flood was the deadliest natural disaster in human history, killing an estimated 2 to 4 million people. Triggered by extreme weather—including snowmelt, cyclones, and torrential rains—the flood overwhelmed the Yellow, Yangtze, and Huai rivers, submerging an area larger than England and affecting eleven provinces in China.
The initial drowning toll was devastating, but the disaster's true horror unfolded in the months that followed. Famine, disease, and displacement claimed millions more lives. Entire villages were wiped out, and survivors endured starvation, disease outbreaks, and hopeless conditions in overcrowded refugee camps.
Despite its scale, the tragedy remains little known outside China due to limited documentation, political instability, and shifting global attention. This episode sheds light on the immense human cost of environmental mismanagement and unpreparedness—an enduring reminder of nature's silent, creeping devastation.
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