Johnstown Flood

Plot Summary

Narrated by Richard Dreyfuss, "Johnstown Flood" tells the true story of one of the worst disasters in American history. On a stormy day in May of 1889, the South Fork Dam explodes. An entire lake is unleashed as a roaring 45-foot wall of water into the heavily populated valley below. The disaster claimed the lives of more than 2,200 people as the rushing tidal wave and debris tore through the town of Johnstown, crashed into the indestructible stone railroad bridge and flooded the valley. Fires erupted, countless buildings were destroyed and pandemonium and looting ensued. Out of a great tragedy came stories of heroism and a triumphant recovery spearheaded by Clara Barton and the American Red Cross. "Johnstown Flood" was written from first-hand accounts of those who survived the tragic event.