Floods
Floods
The most severe, destructive and memorable flooding took place on 13 March 1970, in the watershed area of the River Tisza.
In May 1989, two severe flood waves – so called spring-floods – headed down the Tisza in quick succession, flooding the river’s watershed area. The fact that the north-eastern part of the Carpathian Basin experienced nearly three to four times the usual rainfall in late April played a major role in the development of the first flood wave.
Later, in early May, heavy rains would fall in the region, leading to a second wave of flooding.
In December 1993, there was more precipitation than average, but at the same time, the weather was mild. Snow cover melted by mid-December, with the resulting runoff and the subsequent heavy rains setting off the century’s third highest flood wave on the Felső-Tisza.
By late December 1996, severe floods occurred on the tributaries of the Tisza, mainly on the FelsőTisza and the Kiskőrös. Again, the flood wave was caused by intense rains falling for several days in addition to the excessive runoff. Flood prevention measures, taken over a period of more than ten days, cost one billion forints (Hungary’s susceptibility to floods in Europe can only be likened to the Netherlands’, as 23% of Hungary’s territory lies in regions capable of being flooded).
