The Johnstown Flood
The Johnstown flood happened on May 31st 1989 in Johnstown Pennslyvania.
It rained for a whole week straight none stop. It even had as much water as in the Mississippi river at the time. It caused a lot of damage through the flood costing the U.S 17 million dollars just to fix the damages that happened with the flood. The American Red Cross team had to step in help with the damages done by this flood. No one knew why it was raining for a whole week straight. The American Red Cross team had 50 volunteers to help lead by Clara Barton. It was a major diester it overflowed all the dams and got into people’s house and destoryed their values. May 31st it was already flooding
Easy navigation and flood control encouraged trade along the river, which boosted the economy and led to an increase in jobs for traders, deckhands, etc. (US History TVA). In addition to providing increased trade opportunities, large amounts of money that would have been spent on the flood damage that were saved by the construction of these dams. A few years into the program, stations were created in the area to monitor flooding. Reports from these stations, in addition to computer calculations, show that the total cost of the flood damage up until 2007 would have been $5.8 billion (TVA River Neighbors). The flooding would have destroyed not only people’s homes, but also their businesses and livelihoods., which would have led to further unemployment.
Flooding of the settlement was problematic. By 1812, the settlers had built miles of levees on the banks of the river. For the next two hundred years, the surrounding wetlands were drained to eliminate swamps filled with yellow fever carrying mosquitoes and to encourage economic development. Draining water from peaty soils encouraged subsidence. The land which was just inches above sea level to begin with steadily sank. In combat of this, higher and stronger levees were built, tightening the straight jacket already placed upon the Mississippi River. The massive flooding of 1928 brought further flood control systems implemented by the Army Corps of Engineers with Congressional blessing. By the 1950’s, dramatic rates of land loss in Louisiana’s coastal zone stretched across 300 miles from Texas to Mississippi and inland 50 miles. (Tibbetts)
flooding. The dyke was one of the biggest in America at a mile and three quarters long. Colt’s
Noah and his family entered the ark as God had commanded. After seven days, the waters of the flood were over the earth. All the wellsprings of the great deep burst and the casements of the heavens were opened. (Genesis pg 32) It rained for forty
(Ref. 5) On May 29, 2015 which was Memorial Day the rain decided to pour. This left around 12 inches of rain in just hours. This flood caused a lot of damage to homes and buildings. Unfortunately, there was cases of people that did lose their lives. Air rescues had to be performed along with emergency evacuation due to severe flood for some people. It was almost at much severity as the tropical storm Allison that happen in
The flood happen early March of 1867, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It rained for four days non-stop the waters roto 56 feet tall that is taller than CSAS. The north had just won the Civil War. Slavery had just ended. Chattanoogans were being very self-reliant because they didn't want to ask they north for help because they just won the Civil War.
On May 31, 1889, a 35-foot-high wall of water, set loose by days of rain and a failed dam, rushed into the city of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. In its wake, most of the town was destroyed and more than 2,200 lives were lost. The Johnstown Flood was one of the worst natural disasters ever seen in the United States and brought in relief from all over the nation and world. For Clara Barton, the Johnstown Flood disaster was the first test for her newly formed Red Cross. About 3:00 p.m. on May 31, 1889, water had backed up to the point where it began to spill over the South Ford Dam. It wasn't long before the entire dam broke, sending 20 million tons of water rushing down the narrow Conemaugh Valley. The "terrible wave" reportedly sounded like a freight
The Johnstown Flood was a catastrophe that occurred in Western Pennsylvania on May 13st of 1889. The flood occurred when a dam on the Little Conemaugh River, South Fork Dam, failed to support heavy rainfall flow that caused the river to swell and the dam to be overloaded. Unfortunately, a short fourteen miles down the river lived the people of Johnstown. Johnstown was a prosperous yet modest western Pennsylvania town. The town had an iron company called Cambria Iron Company, which employed most of its men in producing steel products. The town, at the time, had a few phones, three local newspapers, and a handful of saloons. At the time, they were self-sufficient.
One of the American Red Cross’s first major relief efforts took place in the cleanup of the Johnstown flood. It took five years for Johnstown to recover from the flood. No policy or regulation change was put into place until Johnstown experienced yet another flood, the Johnstown Flood of
The Johnstown quadrangle is located in southwest-central Pennsylvania, lying mostly in Cambria County but also small parts of Somerset, Westmoreland, and Indiana counties. Most of the quadrangle includes the valley of Conemaugh River and its tributaries, Little Conemaugh River and Stony Creek, where they run together in the city of Johnstown and its suburbs. The surface rocks of the Johnstown quadrangle are of sedimentary origin – deposited in or by water – and consist of sandstone, shale, limestone, coal, iron ore, gravel, etc (Phalen 3). Altogether, the deposits have a total thickness of 3100 to 3200 feet.
The most tragic mass murder in U.S. history before the attack on the twin towers, the Jonestown massacre. In 1955, Jim Jones established Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ, commonly shortened to Peoples Temple, and soon this religious movement struck criticism and also a big following. The church’s tolerant philosophy and community outreach caused Peoples Temple to grow quickly. They cared for the elderly, ran a soup kitchen, and even maintained a social service center in Indiana (Lewis, 100). Because of his active role in the community, Jim was awarded with the head position of the Indianapolis Human Rights Commission, giving the Temple an even better reputation and more networking opportunities (Steel, 6). Many of the church followers
The U.S.S Oklahoma was engulfed in flames, and many crewmembers were killed from the smoke suffocating them. There were also hospitals
The National Weather Service (2014) reported that the Metro-Atlanta suffered disastrous flooding in 2009 after an extended downpour that stemmed from sufficient moisture from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlanta’s topography, and the Gulf of Mexico. In 24 hours, the rain had reached approximately 20 inches, resulting in a significant flash flooding that made river basins stay swollen for weeks. This disaster significantly affected the Atlanta, Georgia community and its economy with a property loss worth $500 million reported.
Poor labor relationships. The American Red Cross had a lot of different services and during disasters it required a lot of time from the volunteers and workers. The workers felt that they were not treated fairly and went on strike because of long work hours, frequent schedule changes, and an increase in their health benefits. They were focused on helping those affected by the disasters that did not take care of their own people.
Homes were mildewed from the storm, as well people were left cold without heat and there just was not enough descent housing; however, the money that was raised for the victims was being set aside and I feel that this was a problem that the red cross encountered while handling money.