The Yellow River Flood 1887

China, 1887. Death toll: 900, 000 – 2, 000, 000.

The Yellow River has been mentioned previously for its devastating floods and it will certainly be mentioned again. This particular flood claimed 500, 000 lives outright and it is estimated that another 2 million people were left homeless with most succumbing to the elements and starvation due to the overwhelming destruction. The flood covered 50, 000 square miles and destroyed a missive amount of crops and residences. Although dikes were in place to protect from inevitable flooding from the yellow river, exceptional rainfall at the time proved too much to contain.