Read the text about the biggest flood in the world in history. Fill in the gaps with the missing information.
In 1931, China experienced one of the worst floods in history. From June to August, heavy rains caused rivers to overflow, flooding a huge area in central China. 1)____________, this catastrophic event claimed the lives of an estimated 3.7 million people and affected millions more. This disaster forced many from their homes, and destroyed much of the region.
The main cause of the flood was a really heavy monsoon season. From 1928 to 1930, China suffered from a prolonged drought. The subsequent winter of 1930–31 was particularly severe, resulting in large pieces of snow and ice in mountainous areas. The Yangtze River and its smaller rivers couldn’t hold all the water, so they spilled over. 2)____________ – around 28,000 square miles! This flood was truly terrible for people. It’s estimated that between 3 and 4 million people died, and another 30 million were left homeless, food, and work. Cities, towns, and villages were underwater, and everything was ruined.
The flood also destroyed important things like roads, bridges, and railways. This made it hard to get help to people who needed it. It was also hard to communicate with people because 3) ___________.
The Chinese government was struggling at this time, and they didn’t have enough resources to help everyone. However, they tried to help with 4) ___________. They also worked with other countries to rescue people and rebuild. This disaster showed that China’s infrastructure and disaster planning needed to be improved. The government started building dams, reservoirs, and stronger river banks to prevent future floods.
The Great Flood of 1931 is a terrible event in China’s history. It showed the dangers of natural disasters and how important it is to be prepared. The lessons learned from this flood still affect how China 5)____________ today.