Pablo_Kielbasa's Mombasa

The Great Johnstown flood, May 31, 1889,  was the result of the failure of the South Fork Dam situated 14 miles (23 km) upstream of the town of  Johnstown, Pennsylvania, which was made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall. The dam's failure unleashed a torrent of 20 million tons of water. The flood killed over 2,200 people and produced US$17 million of damage. It was the first major disaster relief effort handled by the new American Red Cross, led by Clara Barton. 

Ohio river floods pale in comparison to the Johnstown tragedy, which wiped out 99 entire families and 365 children. Yet, fascination with floods grip our fascination, perhaps because of their great torrent of titanic force, or perhaps a displaced notion of pure cleansing, whatever the case, great floods continue to grip the human imagination even  today.

Artist's rendition of the Johnsntown dam breach. The Dam was of earthen construction, and was poorly restored and maintained as a pleasure fishing resevoir by 19th\ century "Robber Barons", that included  Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick. No charges were ever filed in it''s collapse.

Johnstown flood image, 1889

The famous "Stone Bridge" where hundreds were dashed to their death at it's concrete pilings, or burned to death in a flaying whoorlpool of burning oil and timber.