Water - an unpredictable and volatile elements.It can be slow and calm, and suddenly a few hours to address the devastating floods, acquiring a formidable and invincible power of destroying everything in its path.St. Petersburg, situated at the mouth of the Neva River, in the years of his life passed through many such disasters.They certainly have an impact on the fate of the city and its inhabitants, and many of them have been reflected in paintings and poetry.Let's try to figure out what caused the emergence of this natural phenomenon, and at the same time find out what were the most devastating floods in St. Petersburg.
cause enormous distress
a long time, researchers thought that the basic nature of the flooding is the most Neva.It was believed that the river with a strong west wind holds its rapid flow and overflows its banks.But they were wrong.And only recently it was discovered the true cause of flooding in St. Petersburg.As it turned out, all the fault of Atlantic cyclones.Originating in the Baltic region with a strong west wind, they cause a rise in waves, beginning small and not very powerful.But passing through the Gulf of Finland, and it is gaining speed and altitude, sometimes up to five meters.Approaching the mouth of the Neva River is facing a wave current, which is moving to meet her.As a result, there is a rapid increase in water level is enhanced by shallow depth in the Neva Bay.
note that normally in St. Petersburg flood come in the autumn.Now the so called growth height of water is greater than 160 cm above the normal water level.There is a certain gradation of these disasters: flooding of up to 2 m 10 cm are called dangerous, up to 2 m 99 cm - particularly dangerous, more than 3 m - disastrous.
first flood in the city
According to the scientists, from the most ancient times all the land on which the modern St. Petersburg, periodically covered by water.The chronicles indicate that in 1060 for 1066 it covers all its space layer of more than seven meters.Thus, the flooding in St. Petersburg - is a perennial problem, which is much older than the city itself.
Even before the establishment of settlements there, in 1691, there have been significant flooding.In the annals left the Swedes, it says that while the whole territory of the center of the future city was under water, and its height reached almost eight meters.Moreover, according to the legends of fishermen, such disasters have occurred here every five years.
The history of the city and the first natural disaster
first flood in St. Petersburg has already happened a few months after its creation - in the summer of 1703.At the time, the water level reached a height of over two meters, the Gulf of Rabbit Island.And after three years of the new citizens have witnessed the devastating disaster.His witness was Peter I. According to his description, the water in his mansion stood two feet from the floor, but lasted long in the city, about three hours, and did not bring more trouble.
were already taken initial protective measures.And in 1715 at the Peter and Paul Fortress to deliver the first rail to measure the state of the water during a storm.With this device was determined single bet Neva.So-called conventional height of water in calm weather with no wind.However, in the first two decades of the 18th century the center of the city flooded by not more than one and a half meters.It is worth noting that the history of flooding in St. Petersburg in the XVIII century, has about eighty floods, among them extremely significant.
So, in 1721, was a disaster, terrible in its consequences for the city.Then the surging water flooded many homes and carried out to sea trial.Total losses exceeded seven million rubles.Then the water rose almost every year.
most devastating floods of the 18th century
massive flooding in St. Petersburg in the 18th century and the most tragic in the number of injured and killed people in it happened in 1777.Two days before the city began a terrible storm, and on September 10 the water level exceeded three meters.It was flooded almost the entire city.Then disaster claimed more than a thousand lives, a lot of wooden houses appeared in the sea.
The flooding in St. Petersburg destroyed the prison, located on the banks of the Neva.It contained about three hundred prisoners, and they all died.After that disaster, Catherine II became the government to take measures to combat the elements.For her, a decree was issued on the rescue operations during the flood, as well as an order to create a service notification.In addition, it prepared a detailed urban plan, which marked the most vulnerable areas.
natural disaster in 1824
In the 19th century was marked by the most powerful in the history of flooding in the city of St. Petersburg.1824 brought a terrible, unprecedented in its destructive power of evil.The day before the disaster rose southwest wind, which increased for the night and turned into a terrible storm.The next morning, on 7 November, the water in the Neva River surpassed the mark of 421 cm above the normal level.Were flooded, more than half the territory.Flooding in St. Petersburg in 1824 is marked as the most devastating in its consequences.His victims were hundreds of people and thousands of animals have been destroyed almost all wooden houses in flooded parts of the city.The total damage amounted to almost two million.
floods in the 20th century
In the past century, the element also did not leave St. Petersburg.Floods occur in the first twenty years, though, and often were, but not too disruptive.The exception was the 1903 disaster.At the time, the water level exceeded two and a half meters.Then the flood for the first time were able to capture on film.
After this period of relative peace.The water was rising not very high, and the flooding of the city inhabitants did not give serious inconvenience.It was not until the flood in St. Petersburg in 1924.Then the water level reached almost four meters, flooded many areas of the city.Seriously damaged port, as well as some warehouses and factories.Water demolished 19 bridges and felled hundreds of trees.The victims of the disaster appeared more than two hundred residents, and fifteen thousand people were forced to leave their homes.The authorities had to impose martial law.It was the biggest flood in St. Petersburg in the twentieth century.After this element has repeatedly demonstrated its citizens exuberant nature.The strengths were also floods in 1955 and 1975.
What is happening now?
threat of flooding in St. Petersburg and saved recently.So, for the period from 2000 to 2008, they happened fourteen.The last major flood discharge of hazardous happened in 2005.
Fortunately, thanks to modern protective structures serious disasters can be prevented.In Tallinn, a special station that monitors the occurrence of a wave.If we consider that it passes the Gulf of Finland in the seven to nine hours, the town comes time for urgent action.
how to protect your city from flooding
for three hundred years of the city were recorded by a variety of power and the floods in St. Petersburg.History protective structures therefore of particular importance.As already mentioned, the first measures taken immediately after the city was founded, and it has paid serious attention to Catherine II after the flood in 1777.
In 1804, when Alexander I, started building the Bypass channel.In 1825, we notified on the competition for the best construction project for the protection of the city.However, gradually the enthusiasm died down, and up until floods in 1890 no action has been taken.And really do matter after the disaster in 1924.It was developed drawing of protective structures, and the construction, which is expected to be completed within four years.But repression intervened, and then the war.Thus, the protective dam project started in the 60s, and to the construction started only in 1979.Totally it was commissioned only in 2011.
Now experts for two days of learning about approaching wave, and five hours before the expected storm closed all the passages intended for ships.Thus, the city is safe.
Showing floods in the literature
Terrible raging element, of course, impressed creators.Because flood vividly reflected in the culture.Perhaps the most famous is the description given in the work of Alexander Pushkin "The Bronze Horseman".Writer detail reproduces the flood that occurred in 1824.A little later, the writer P. Karatygin released his "Annals of the St. Petersburg Flood 1703-1879 biennium.".Bright image disaster in 1777 is also in the creation of Dmitry Merezhkovsky "The kingdom of the beast."
reminders about recurring floods
The city has several memorial signs testifying to the flood, the case at different times.For example, flooding in St. Petersburg in 1824 reminds himself granite obelisk standing on the bank of the river embankment.In addition, in the wall of one of the old houses have a sign indicating the water level, written in Russian and German.
In general, information about the most impressive of the flood of St. Petersburg included on the special product lines cut into the side walls of the Neva gates of the fortress.They have marks indicating the water level.This so-called Museum of flooding.
Unfortunately, the statistics of these measurements are not particularly happy.With each new flood bracket rises higher and higher, and it can only mean one thing - Petersburg is slowly but surely fall below sea level.Some scientists say that in just 100 years, Northern Palmira can finally go under water.
