In 1928 the Thames flooded much of central London, with fatal consequences. It was the last time the heart of the UK’s capital has been under water. How did the city cope and what has changed?
What was the worst flood in London?
August 13, 1937 was probably the worst flooding in London history.
When was the last time London got flooded?
The 1928 Thames flood was a disastrous flood of the River Thames that affected much of riverside London on 7 January 1928, as well as places further downriver.
1928 Thames flood.
| Thames flood level markers at Trinity Hospital, Greenwich. The marker on the right is for 1928 | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 6 to 7 January 1928 |
| Fatalities | 14 |
How many people died in the great flood of 1968?
This was likely the severest inland flood experienced in the Home Counties during the last 100 years.
Great Flood of 1968.
| Pool River in Catford during the flood | |
|---|---|
| Date | September 1968 |
| Location | Home counties |
| Deaths | None |
| Property damage | More than 14,000 properties flooded. |
When was the worst flood in UK?
Great Flood of 1968
6,250 square kilometres of land – stretching roughly from Hampshire and Sussex across Surrey, Kent, and Essex – was hit with over 100mm of torrential rainfall during July and September 1968.
What are the top 3 worst floods?
Full List
- Mississippi River, 1927.
- Ohio River, 1937.
- Mississippi River, 1993.
- Hurricane Katrina, 2005.
- Big Thompson Canyon, Colorado, 1976.
- Rapid City, S.D., 1972.
- Galveston, Texas, 1900.
- Johnstown, Pa., 1889.
Will London be flooded by 2030?
Large parts of east London could be regularly flooded by 2030, a risk map predicts. The tool developed by independent group Climate Central shows which areas are projected to be below the annual flood level each decade through to 2100.
Where in the UK will be flooded by 2050?
The top 10 areas at risk to be underwater by 2050 are Portsmouth, East Riding of Yorkshire, Arun (West Sussex), Merton (London), Chichester (West Sussex), Kensington and Chelsea, Conwy (Wales), Great Yarmouth (Norfolk), West Berkshire and Worthing. Bolton and South Holland in Lincolnshire would also be badly affected.
Where in London is most likely to flood?
| Borough | Percentage of commercial buildings at flood risk |
|---|---|
| 1. Kensington and Chelsea | 63% |
| 2. Hammersmith and Fulham | 56% |
| 3. Merton | 54% (54.3) |
| 4. Southwark | 54% (54.1) |
Does London flood often?
Following the 1928 flood and a storm surge in 1953 that left parts of east London under water, the Thames Barrier was built to prevent tidal water surging up the Thames and into London. However, each year large swaths of London still have a 1-in-1000 (0.1%) or 1-in-100 (1%) chance of flooding.
What is the deadliest flood in world history?
1. 1931 China Floods. This set of floods is also referred to as the 1931 Yangtse-Huai River Floods. After a drought from 1928-1930, the area of the Yangtse and Huai rivers received a lot of snowfall.
What is the largest known flood in history?
On August 1st, 1993, the Mississippi River at St. Louis crested at 49.58 feet, the highest stage ever recorded.
What is the deadliest flood ever recorded?
List
| Death count | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 145,000 | 1935 Yangtze flood | China |
| (up to) 100,000 | The flood of 1099 | Netherlands & England |
| up to 100,000 | 1911 Yangtze river flood | China |
| 50,000–80,000 | St. Lucia’s flood, storm surge | Holy Roman Empire |
What is the biggest flood in the UK?
North Sea Flood – 1953
One of the greatest storm surges on record drowned 326 people in the UK at the end of January 1953. The flooding forced 30,000 people to be evacuated from their homes, and 24,000 properties were seriously damaged.
Has a hurricane ever hit the UK?
The Burns’ Day storm hit the United Kingdom in January 1990, less than three years later and with comparable intensity. The Great Storm of 1968 (Hurricane Low Q) had crossed Great Britain between the Pennines and Perthshire with the highest-ever recorded peak wind speeds (134 mph).
Where in the UK is least likely to flood?
Crewe and Luton are the areas in the UK that are least likely to experience flooding, with only 0.2 per cent and 0.1 per cent of homes having been affected.
Which country has most floods?
Asian Countries Most at Risk from Rising Water Levels
| Rank | Country | Flood risk, by population exposed (%) |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Netherlands | 58.7% |
| #2 | Bangladesh | 57.5% |
| #3 | Vietnam | 46.0% |
| #4 | Egypt | 40.5% |
What is the safest flood zone?
Flood zone X
Flood zone X, also known as flood zone X500, is arguably the safest flood zone designation, as it’s considered to be outside the 500-year floodplain and is also protected by a flood control system, such as a levee or dam, from the 100-year floodplain.
How long did the longest flood last?
Flood events prior to the Great 1927 Flood were much longer in duration, at times as long as 6 months.
Flood Duration Data (1927 – Present)
| Rank | Duration (Days) | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 226 | 2018-2019 |
| 2 | 152 | 1927 |
| 3 | 95 | 1973 |
| 4 | 94 | 1994 |
What will London be like in 2050?
London’s weather could come to resemble that of Barcelona, with stretches of severe drought along with heavier downpours when it rains. Residents in around a fifth of all cities are expected to face climate conditions that have never been seen in any major city before.
Is the UK sinking or rising?
This vertical land movement occurred because the ice was no longer pressing down on the land. For a time, this rebound of the land overtook global sea-level rise. But uplift rates are now modest – no more than 0.6mm per year. At the same time, coastal waters around the UK are rising at rates of up to 2mm per year.