Flood of 2158

The Flood of 2158 was a severe flood of the Sarabal River that caused major damage to the Sarabal River delta region in what was then the Kingdom of Calbaena. The flood destroyed a huge swath of farmland, numerous major roads and canals, and several cities including the kingdom's capital city of Carafalis. This lead to famine, civil war, and the temporary occupation of Calbaenic territory by hostile neighbors.

Background
The Sarabal River was prone to regular flooding during the pre-Noulaenic era during the heavy summer monsoon rains that fell on the central Malaenic hills, much of which drained into the Bindaela basin and out to sea through the Sarabal. Imperial engineers did much to reduce the risk of floods, however, diverting monsoon waters into irrigation canals and reservoirs, building levies along river courses, and designating emergency flood zones where the levies could be broken to divert flood waters during wet summers. Much of this infrastructure had been allowed to fall into disrepair through inadequate maintenance during the later centuries of the Second Noulaenic Empire in Malaena, and the collapse of imperial authority in 2012 NE accelerated this process.

Reservoirs, canals, and levies had largely fallen into disrepair and work that was done was mostly done by local lords working to maximize local crop yields with little regard for the long term stability of the river system. These problems went largely unnoticed for over a century, however, because a period of relatively dry monsoons that began in the 20th century continued into the 22nd century. The long-term average rainfall over the Sarabal drainage during monsoon season is 100 fingers, but during the period from 1980 to 2255 the region averaged just 70 fingers per year.

The trend reversed suddenly with several above average years in 2156, which saw 112 fingers mm and 2157, which saw 107. These wet summers water-logged the Bindaela region and filled reservoirs throughout the Sarabal drainage to near bursting. Political division and poor understanding of the imperial river management system meant that these issues were completely unknown in Calbaena.

Flood
The summer of 2158 saw one of the ten wettest monsoons on record, with over 140 fingers of precipitation falling in a two month period during the monsoon. The Bindaela basin overflowed early during the rains, leading to heavy swelling of the river downstream. The problems were exacerbated by the failure of a number of dams in the upper course of the river, adding additional water and silt to the floods. The plains of Bindaela became inundated, although most of the cities in that region were spared as Bindaelic cities were mostly built on hills.

In Calbaena, the flood waters overwhelmed levies and washed overland across a broad swath of the delta region, with the river swelling to over 50 rides wide where it met the sea. The water carried heavy silt deposits from upstream and buried fields, buildings, and the original river channel. Much of the Sarabal Delta region was unrecognizable after the flood finally subsided and several cities, most notably Carafalis, were buried under as much as 7 paces of silt. Over 40,000 people were trapped and drowned in the flood, mostly early in the flood when breaking levies caught residents of the region off guard.

Aftermath
Nearly 950,000 residents of Calbaena lost their homes in the flood, including the entire population of Carafalis (456,000), and much of Calbaena's most productive farmland was temporarily destroyed as well. Famine and disease killed more people than the flood itself, with over 270,000 dying during the two years following the flood.

Carafalis was abandoned as a result of the flood as the lower stories of most buildings were completely buried and the city's vital harbor had been rendered useless as changes in the river course left the former site of Carafalis land-locked. A new port was later built at a new site up river starting in 2160, known as Elcarafalis (lit. 'New Carafalis').

The strain of famine and homelessness caused unrest in the region and Calbaena's northern and southern regions of Namlaena and Falumuca broke away from the kingdom and fought for control of the region starting in 2159. The region was also invaded from both the north and south, with Condara attacking the northern region and Falea attacking the south. The Kingdom of Namlaena eventually repelled the Condaric attack in 2167 but Falumuca was conquered and occupied by Falea from 2165 to 2214 NE.