Yangtze River Flood (1935)

The Yangtze River flood of 1935 struck China in the midst of a decade wracked by flooding, famine, and social turmoil. It was the fifth-deadliest flood in recorded history, with a death toll of about 145,000. Millions more who survived were displaced, injured, suffered from loss of property or jobs, or went with too little food. The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia, and has been home to human cultures since more than 20,000 years B.C.E. Because of its importance to trade, transportation, and agriculture, settlements have often been built close enough to the banks to be vulnerable to times of flood.

About three-quarters of China's floods are caused by the Yangtze. Yangtze flooding occurs during most non-drought years, making both flooding and mudslides ...