Two operatic floods: Benjamin Britten's Noyes' Fludde and Igor Stravinsky's The Flood

Floods are agents of both physical and psychological change. Their power to affect cultures and the environment can be enduring, even in areas where regular flooding is an accepted geographical feature. This selection of essays presents floods from the perspectives of science, history, theology, psychology, law, art and music to explain the natural and societal causes and consequences. Also includes recollections and anecdotes from those who have actually experienced floods, and will appeal to students and anyone interested in the need for understanding and management of this compelling natural phenomenon.