17. Of All of History’s Tragic Natural Disasters, None Were Deadlier Than the 1931 Central China Floods
The 1887 Yellow River Flood was just as deadly as it was tragic. However, even with its estimated 900,000 fatalities, the 1887 Yellow River Flood was “only” history’s second deadliest natural disaster. Its death toll was eclipsed by yet another tragic Chinese riverine calamity: the 1931 Central China Flood.
That year, the Yangtze and Huai rivers experienced disastrous flooding that submerged about 70,000 square miles. That is an area as big as England, plus half of Scotland tossed in. 53 million people were impacted, and up to 4 million were killed in the catastrophe.