22. The Tragic Yellow River Flood of 1887
September of 1887 was a particularly wet time in northern China and along the Yellow River valley. Towards the end of the month, heavy rains that went on for days caused the river to swell rapidly. On September 28th, the rising waters overcame the dikes and broke through them near the city of Zhengzhou in Henan Province – a flat plain near the river mouth. Many people ran upstream, trying to reach a level above that of the rapidly flooding area, but were caught in the fast-moving torrent and drowned.
Within an hour, a lake as big as Lake Ontario had formed. People from drier areas tried to save as many as they could by rowing around in small boats. Some survivors reached and clung to terraces slightly higher than the water level, and waited for rescue. Others desperately clung to anything that could float. One family, knowing that it had no chance of surviving, placed a baby on top of a wooden chest, along with some food and a note bearing its name. The baby was saved. The family was never found.