The Hungarian

Hungary

Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...

 city of Miskolc

Miskolc

Miskolc is a city in northeastern Hungary, mainly with heavy industrial background. With a population close to 170,000 Miskolc is the fourth largest city of Hungary It is also the county capital of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and the regional centre of Northern Hungary.- Geography :Miskolc is located...

 lies on the drainage area of the river Sajó

Sajó

The Sajó is a river in Slovakia and Hungary.Its length is 229 km, of which 110 km is in Slovakia. Its source is in the Stolica Mountains range of the Slovak Ore Mountains. It flows through the Slovak town Rožňava and the Hungarian city Miskolc. In Hungary it flows through the county of...

 and the stream Szinva

Szinva

Szinva is a stream in northern Hungary, a tributary to the river Sajó. It originates in the Bükk Mountains. It is 30 kilometres long, 20 kilometres of which can be found the city of Miskolc, through which the stream flows from west to east...

. Both the river and the stream played an important part in the development of the city, but during great rains they also meant danger. There were floods in 1691, 1788, 1813, 1845 and 1853, but the largest, which had the most victims and is still remembered as the "Great Flood", was the one which destroyed the city in 1878. Of all the floods in 19th century Hungary, this one killed the most people.

On August 30, 1878 large storms coming from the Transdanubian region arrived in Northern Hungary – first in Eger

Eger

Eger is the second largest city in Northern Hungary, the county seat of Heves, east of the Mátra Mountains. Eger is best known for its castle, thermal baths, historic buildings , and red and white wines.- Name :...

, next in Óhuta

Bükkszentlászló

Miskolc-Bükkszentlászló is a small village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Northern Hungary. It is surrounded by the Bükk Mountains. Since 1981 has been a part of the city of Miskolc.-History:...

, Diósgyőr

Diósgyor

Diósgyőr is a historical town in Hungary, today it is a part of Miskolc. The medieval castle in Diósgyőr was a favourite holiday residence of Hungarian kings and queens; today it is a popular tourist attraction. The city part has a heavy industrial background...

 and Miskolc, and then in Tállya

Tállya

Tállya is a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Northern Hungary, 45 kilometres from county seat Miskolc, in the famous Tokaj-Hegyalja wine district.-Geography:Tállya is located at . According to the 2001 Census the village has a total area of ....

, Golop

Golop

Golop is a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Hungary.- External links :*...

 and Mád

Mád

Mád is a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County in northeastern Hungary.-References:...

. The rainfall swelled the streams Szinva and Pece, and destroyed the largest part of Downtown Miskolc

Downtown (Miskolc)

Miskolc City Centre is basically the historical part of the city of Miskolc, Hungary. Most of the other parts of the city were either independent towns and villages previously, or they were built later....

. The water swept away bridges, mills and houses, carrying a large amount of debris. The water level rose by half a meter per minute, making it impossible for many people to escape. In some parts of the city the water was 4-5 meters deep.

The flood destroyed 2000 buildings and killed almost 300 people (or 400 if people in neighbouring areas are also included in the count). In the small village of Óhuta, 73 houses were destroyed.

After the flood the citizens of Miskolc had to rebuild the city with almost no help. In previous and following years, the cities of Pest

Pest (city)

Pest is the eastern, mostly flat part of Budapest, Hungary, comprising about two thirds of the city's territory. It is divided from Buda, the other part of Budapest, by the Danube River. Among its most notable parts are the Inner City, including the Hungarian Parliament, Heroes' Square and...

 (1838) and Szeged

Szeged

' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....

(1879) were rebuilt in countrywide collaboration, with the help of generous donations. However, in the case of Miskolc, the fact that other, then more important, cities were threatened by flood diverted the nation's attention, even though the flood in Miskolc killed more victims than the floods in Szeged and Pest combined.