The 1887 Yellow River flood in the Qing Dynasty was a flood in China that began in late September 1887 and killed at least 930,000 people. It was the single deadliest flood in Chinese history, as well as one of the largest natural disasters by death toll in recorded history.
Why this event still matters
Historical incidents shape the rules that protect people today — building codes, evacuation policy, warning systems and inspection regimes almost always trace back to a specific disaster. Studying 1887 Yellow River flood alongside current events is how preparedness improves.
See what is happening right now on the live world incident map, browse every floods we track on the Flood tracker, or follow live incidents in China.