In one of the worst disasters in American history, 2,209 people perished on May 31, 1889, when the South Fork Dam gave way under heavy rain in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. An estimated 6-10 inches of rain fell on the area in 24 hours. A 40 foot wall of water from Lake Conemaugh broke free and leveled the entire valley. "The Johnstown Flood", or "The Great Flood of 1889", as it was called, was the first major disaster relief effort handled by the Red Cross and Clara Barton. It was the worst flood in America in the 19th century. |
