Deadliest Floods in Recent US History

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Heavy rains gave way to catastrophic flooding in Central Texas over the July 4th weekend. Slow-moving thunderstorms in the area dropped over a month’s worth of rain in a matter of hours, causing the Guadalupe River to swell by more than 30 feet. While search and rescue efforts are still underway, at least 89 people have already been confirmed dead, and flash flood warnings remain in effect in parts of the state.

With at least 75 reported deaths, Kerr County, Texas was hit hardest by the flooding. Fatalities were also reported in Burnet, Kendall, Travis, and Williamson Counties, and with dozens of people still missing, the death toll may rise in the coming hours and days.

Texas has been impacted by multiple fatal and destructive floods in recent decades, but the events of the past weekend already stand out as among the worst in the state’s history – and as one of the deadliest floods reported nationwide in at least the last 100 years.

Since 1980, the United States has been hit with 45 major flooding events that resulted in at least $1 billion in damage, adjusted for inflation. The deadliest of those floods killed 62 people, a grim threshold that last week’s flooding has already surpassed.

Using data from the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration, Climate Crisis 247 identified the deadliest floods to hit the United States in recent decades. Only floods that occurred since 1980 and caused over $1 billion in damage in inflation adjusted dollars were considered. Each of the 17 flooding events on this list resulted in 20 or more fatalities – and several of these floods also directly impacted the state of Texas.

17. Missouri and Arkansas Flooding and Central Severe Weather (May 2017)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 20
Damage caused by hurricane: $2.2 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: April 25, 2017 - May 07, 2017
Event description: As much of 15 inches of rain flooded river valleys in Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri.

16. Northeast Flooding (June 2006)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 20
Damage caused by hurricane: $2.4 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: June 25, 2006 - June 28, 2006
Event description: Heavy rainfall caused flooding in much of the Northeast, impacting Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

15. California Flooding (December 2022 - March 2023)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 22
Damage caused by hurricane: $4.7 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: December 26, 2022 - March 19, 2023
Event description: Atmospheric rivers caused heavy rainfall – which improved drought conditions but caused major flooding – in parts of Central California.

14. West Virginia Flooding and Ohio Valley Tornadoes (June 2016)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 23
Damage caused by hurricane: $1.3 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: June 22, 2016 - June 24, 2016
Event description: Heavy rainfall resulted in flooding that closed hundreds of roads and bridges in West Virginia and bordering states.

13. Midwest Flooding (Summer 2008)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 24
Damage caused by hurricane: $14.9 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: April 01, 2008 - June 30, 2008
Event description: As much as 16 inches of rain caused flooding in multiple states, including Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Iowa was the hardest hit state.

12. South Carolina and East Coast Flooding (October 2015)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 25
Damage caused by hurricane: $2.7 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: October 01, 2015 - October 05, 2015
Event description: Rainfall of over 20 inches along the South Carolina coast damaged homes and businesses and closed I-95 for weeks.

11. California Flooding (January-March 1995)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 27
Damage caused by hurricane: $5.3 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: January 01, 1995 - March 31, 1995
Event description: Heavy precipitation from storms throughout the winter caused as much as 70 inches of rainfall in parts of California.

10. Southern Severe Storms and Flooding (April 1980)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 30
Damage caused by hurricane: $2.8 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: April 10, 1980 - April 17, 1980
Event description: Severe storms led to flooding across parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

9. Texas Flooding (October 1998)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 31
Damage caused by hurricane: $1.8 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: October 16, 1998 - October 24, 1998
Event description: Two rain events impacted parts of Texas, causing as much as 20 inches of accumulated precipitation in the southeastern part of the state.

8. Texas and Oklahoma Flooding and Severe Weather (May 2015)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 31
Damage caused by hurricane: $3.4 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: May 23, 2015 - May 26, 2015
Event description: A slow moving storm system caused the Blanco River in Texas to swell by over 35 feet. Other states, including Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Ohio, and Oklahoma were also impacted.

7. East/South Flooding and Severe Weather (May 2010)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 32
Damage caused by hurricane: $3.3 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: April 30, 2010 - May 02, 2010
Event description: Flooding from severe thunderstorms impacted parts of Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Total rainfall topped 18 inches in parts of the Nashville metropolitan area.

6. West Coast Flooding (January 1997)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 36
Damage caused by hurricane: $6.0 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: January 01, 1997 - January 11, 1997
Event description: Snowmelt and torrential rain caused severe flooding in parts of California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.

5. Kentucky and Missouri Flooding (July 2022)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 42
Damage caused by hurricane: $1.6 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: July 26, 2022 - July 28, 2022
Event description: A stalled storm system led to as much as 12 inches of rain in parts of Kentucky and Missouri, hitting St. Louis especially hard.

4. Gulf States Storms and Flooding (December 1982-January 1983)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 45
Damage caused by hurricane: $4.9 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: December 01, 1982 - January 15, 1983
Event description: Severe storms fueled flooding across parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.

3. Midwest Flooding (Summer 1993)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 48
Damage caused by hurricane: $46.3 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: June 27, 1993 - August 15, 1993
Event description: Persistent thunderstorms and heavy rain fueled deadly floods that caused tens of billions of dollars of damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure across the Midwest.

2. Western Storms and Flooding (December 1982-March 1983)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 50
Damage caused by hurricane: $4.8 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: December 13, 1982 - March 31, 1983
Event description: Flooding was caused by severe storms which spread across multiple states, including Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

1. Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland Flooding (November 1985)

Deaths attributed to flooding: 62
Damage caused by hurricane: $4.1 billion (inflation adjusted)
Flooding start and end dates: November 03, 1985 - November 08, 1985
Event description: Several rivers, including the James and the Roanoke, flooded after more than 19 inches of rainfall fell over the region.

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