Posted in Mississippi March 01, 2017 by

The Horrific Mississippi Disaster That Will Never Be Forgotten

Throughout history, Mississippi has faced its fair share of disasters. From hurricanes and tornadoes to fires and floods, the Magnolia State has seen it all; however, one of the most notorious is definitely the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. Several months in the making, the flood is considered one of the most destructive in the country’s history. Take a look:

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
It all began with unusually heavy rainfall during the summer of 1926.
Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Archives and History
By September of that year, the Mighty Mississippi’s tributaries in Kansas and Iowa were engorged to capacity.
Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Things continued to get worse, and by Christmas Day, the Cumberland River in Nashville exceeded 56 feet, which remains a record to this day.
Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Archives and History
By April of 1927, the flooding peaked near Mound Landing, Mississippi and Arkansas City, Arkansas.
Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Archives and History
The raging flood waters were so powerful, they flowed with the force of Niagra Falls.
Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Overall, levees broke in nearly 150 places along the Mississippi River.
Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas were all affected by the flood.
Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Archives and History
When all was said and done, nationwide damage totaled about $1 billion, which was one-third of the federal budget in 1927.
Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Mississippi was hit hard and left with more than 23,000 square miles of flooded land and hundreds of thousands displaced residents.
Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Archives and History
A whopping 94% of the more than 630,000 people affected by the flood lived in Mississippi, Arkansas, or Louisiana; however, the majority was from the Mississippi Delta.
Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Even more upsetting was the death toll from the flood – the tragedy claimed 500 lives, 200 of whom were Mississippians.
Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Immediately following the 1927 disaster, the US Army Corps of Engineers was assigned the task of figuring out a way to avoid future floods. As a result, the Flood Control Act of 1928 was established – part of which included the construction of the world’s longest system of levees.

Get a closer look at this historic flood in the video below:

Learn about another of the state’s most horrific tragedies in “A Terrifying, Deadly Storm Struck Mississippi In 1936… And No One Saw It Coming.“