Show Notes
We all know what a good strong summer thunderstorm looks like, and we know just how much rain one of them can douse us in. But on a warm Friday night in 1972, the eastern foothills of the Black Hills -- and in particular the town of Rapid City, South Dakota -- were struck by storms which broke dams, overflowed creek beds, and killed hundreds. Videos:
Disasters of the Century: Rapid City Flood Photasma Travel: Rapid City Flood 1972 Dakota Life: Remembering the 1972 Rapid City Flood Surviving the '72 Flood The Black Hills Flood: 50 Years Later 1972 Flood Special
Articles and books:
Images of America: The 1972 Black Hills flood, by Corey Christianson US Geological Survey: The 1972 Black Hills-Rapid City flood Weather.gov: The Black Hills flood of 1972 Rapid City Library: The Rapid City Flood of 1972 Obituary: Don Barnett
More from Disaster Area
It might have felt like just a bad day at work - cracks in the walls, the merchandise shaking on the shelves, the air conditioning needing to be turned off. But the Sampoong department store wasn't just falling apart metaphorically. It was quite literally taking all day to fail.
In 6th century Constantinople, Emperor Justinian would lead the Byzantine empire into conquering other lands, constructing impressive architecture, and instituting a new legal code that still influences nations today. But before a lot of that was done, Justinian faced the wrath of his subjects, with their rage coming to a head at one of the unlikeliest of places - a chariot race.
It was a beautiful Monday morning in San Diego on September 25, 1978 - sunny and hot with not a cloud in the sky. There was no reason whatsoever to think the day would be ruined by anything, but especially not by two planes colliding over a horrified suburb.
When we think of deadly peacetime maritime disasters, Titanic is the first ship to come to mind. But there is a far deadlier disaster which holds the record for the worst in terms of loss of life ... when a loaded oil tanker and a packed ferry collided in the Philippines one moonless night just before Christmas in 1987.
Or where have I been the past three months? (Alas, it's not as interesting as the title makes it sound.)