menu search

Posted in Mississippi March 01, 2017 by Daniella DiRienzo

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:

During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.

It all began with unusually heavy rainfall during the summer of 1926.

By September of that year, the Mighty Mississippi’s tributaries in Kansas and Iowa were engorged to capacity.

Things continued to get worse, and by Christmas Day, the Cumberland River in Nashville exceeded 56 feet, which remains a record to this day.

By April of 1927, the flooding peaked near Mound Landing, Mississippi and Arkansas City, Arkansas.

The raging flood waters were so powerful, they flowed with the force of Niagra Falls.

Overall, levees broke in nearly 150 places along the Mississippi River.

Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas were all affected by the flood.

When all was said and done, nationwide damage totaled about $1 billion, which was one-third of the federal budget in 1927.

Mississippi was hit hard and left with more than 23,000 square miles of flooded land and hundreds of thousands displaced residents.

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.

Even more upsetting was the death toll from the flood – the tragedy claimed 500 lives, 200 of whom were Mississippians.

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.“

Daniella DiRienzo

Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for the past 25 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships, working for The Royal Obsession and Anatomie clothing. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as Parents & Kids Magazine and Girl Meets Strong. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.