The 1993 Perth flood (also known as the Great Tay Flood) was caused by the River Tay, Scotland's longest river, rising to 6.48m (21ft 3in) above its normal level, with a flow of 2,268m3/s (80,100cuft/s). It occurred on 17 January 1993, in Perth, Scotland, after heavy snowfall, from blizzards experienced six days earlier,[1] had melted.[2] The flood almost broke the record for the height of the Tay's waters (set in 1814, when it rose 7m (23ft) above normal).[3] A flood had occurred three years earlier, in February 1990, but the peak flow of the 1993 event was estimated to have been around 30% higher.[4]
An estimated 50 square kilometres (19sqmi) of farmland was flooded, along with large-scale damage to residential and commercial properties.[4] Over 1,500 people had to abandon their homes.[5]
Another high level of the Tay's water, this time in 2008
The flood caused damage amounting to around £10 million.[6] The city installed flood defences, which were completed in 2001, at a cost of around £25 million.[3][7]
