The dike broke here on 5 March 1879. The water gushing through it not only washed away this part of the dike but created a deep barbell-shaped lake which can be seen even now because the new levee goes around the breakage as you will see it there. The water flooded the area washing away villages and farms on its way, killing people and animals. Then the floodwater was temporarily stopped by the Austrian Railway line. However on the stormy night of 12 March at 2 a.m. this last line of defense gave in and the city of Szeged was flooded. 150 people drowned and 75 thousand were left homeless. Only a few dozen brick buildings could withstand the water which was four meters deep at some places. The city was like Venice later with wooden planks on the sides of the streets and boats in the middle. They managed to pump out the water only by August and the ground did not dry until 1880 when they started to rebuild the city. You can find more on that flood at these geocaches: http://coord.info/GCJ7JW http://coord.info/GCH38R http://coord.info/GCHM0H The cache was placed by kresz on 22 07 2007 on geocaching.hu and later I adopted it because they moved away. It is hidden in the bush and it’s easier to get into it from the west. Have a nice walk and remember those days. The level of the Tisza river exceeds that record by meters almost every spring now, so we can only hope they will not come again. You might see some wildlife on the way (rabbits, deer, and pheasant) and a huge tree called Seven Sisters plus a stone memorial for an airplane crash site in the 1930’s. And of course you can listen to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbrjRKB586s
Oruvaq n ovttre gerr.