The winter of 1907–1908 was generous in rainfall. On New Year's Eve, the snowfalls were so strong that even the movement of trains and trams stopped in Moscow because of the outlined snowdrifts. Then, after prolonged frosts, which lasted until the beginning of April, it became sharply warmer. On April 11 (according to the old style), the water in the Moskva River began to arrive and in a day the water level rose to a record 9 meters!
April 11, 1908, the newspaper "Russian Word"
Two or three warm days in a row and several rains at once pushed the melting of snows and loosened the ice so amicably that the rapid and high-water flood of the Moscow River was beyond doubt.
By 9 o'clock. pm the city center - the whole area between Moscow and the Vodootvodny Canal presented an original picture, full of amazing beauty.
Particularly beautiful was the picture of the river between Moskvoretsky and Kamenny bridges. On the one hand, the Kremlin walls, brightly illuminated by the electric lamps of both bridges, were drowning in water, on the other, the beautiful houses and mansions of Sophia Embankment were reflected in it.
Sofiyskaya embankment in April 1908:
Promotional video:
For comparison: Sofiyskaya Embankment in April 2018:
Klemlevskaya embankment, April 1908:
April 2018:
Subsequently, a sign was installed on house No. 4 on Yakimanskaya embankment, indicating the level of flooding.
Floods in the city have happened before - judging by the chronicles and archival documents, in its entire centuries-old history, Moscow has experienced at least 25 major floods - but the attack of a water element has never been so devastating as in the days of April 1908.
Paveletsky (formerly Saratovsky) station:
April 12, 1908, the newspaper "Russian Word"
The last train, which left Moscow at 6 o'clock, was not immediately dispatched. The train started, but then stopped, as the wheels “did not take” the rails. He was brought back, and then with a running start he managed to get out of the station, cutting through the water like a steamer. The water almost reached the second step of the carriages.
Flooded was 20% of the territory of the then Moscow. Almost 100 kilometers of streets and lanes were submerged. According to available data, of the 1.5 million population of Moscow, about 200 thousand people suffered, two people died.
There have been no such floods in Moscow since then: the recurrence of such events is only once every 150-200 years, in addition, in the middle of the 20th century, the Mozhaisk, Istra, Ozerninskoe and Ruzskoe reservoirs were built in the Moscow region, on which the river flow was regulated.