photo:
nps.gov
In one of the
worst disasters in American history, 2,209 people perished
on May 31, 1889, when the South Fork Dam gave way under
heavy rain in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. An estimated 6-10
inches of rain fell on the area in 24 hours. A 40 foot
wall of water from Lake Conemaugh broke free and leveled
the entire valley. "The Johnstown Flood", or
"The Great Flood of 1889", as it was called,
was the first major disaster relief effort handled by
the Red Cross and Clara Barton. It was the worst flood
in America in the 19th century.
