MNN Galleries

9 floods of biblical proportion

By: Bryan Nelson on July 3, 2013, 12:38 p.m.
A man stands in front of a gargantuan tidal wave

Photo: Cardens Design/Shutterstock

1 of 11

Water, water everywhere

Floods are among the most destructive of natural disasters, as communities across the Mississippi basin know all too well. But most modern-day floods are mere drops in the bucket compared to the epic torrents of the past.

Some historical mega-floods have such immense water volume that worldwide sea levels have risen. Some have reshaped the face of the Earth, carving out tremendous canyons. Others have washed whole cities into the sea.

These stories are an ominous reminder of just how powerful nature can be. Here's our list of the biggest floods in human history. (Text: Bryan Nelson)