天津為“九河下梢” ,河流眾多，地勢低洼。歷史上，河道和堤壩得不到很好治理，幾乎年年發(fā)水。近代以后，特大水災(zāi)仍時有發(fā)生。
清同治十年(1871)七至八月，天津地區(qū)連降暴雨，海潮倒灌，河堤沖決，田舍被淹。各地難民涌入天津。棲息求食者數(shù)十萬人。天津當局截留江浙漕糧10萬石，采買賑米4萬石，受賑災(zāi)民達351900人。
光緒十六年(1890),從五月二十一日開始，天津地區(qū)陰雨連綿，二十九日以后，大雨狂風(fēng)歷時7天，各河相繼漫溢，城北、城東及英、法租界，水深2至4尺。此災(zāi)為數(shù)十年來未有的水災(zāi)。該年降雨量1221.9毫米，是此前天津歷史上有文字記載的最大降雨量。
1917年9月，天津發(fā)生特大水災(zāi)。21日，大蔣莊、楊柳青等處河堤決口，津浦鐵路中斷。22日，三岔河口沿岸水深及膝。23日，南運河水急漲，北岸平漫，河北大街盡成汪洋。24日，英、法租界也遭水淹； 日租界郵局前馬路兩旁水深6尺，據(jù)統(tǒng)計，天津有6.6萬余間房屋被淹，2萬間倒塌，10萬余災(zāi)民流離失所。
1939年8月，天津發(fā)生特大水災(zāi)。從7月上旬開始，華北地區(qū)連降大雨，各河洪水猛漲。8月7日，日偽當局在楊柳青馬莊、桑園兩地將南運河右堤炸開，洪水涌向天津西南洼； 10日，洪水包圍了天津。19日，南大圍堤在陳塘莊以西潰決，土城水深1米，新倉庫附近水深2.4米； 勸業(yè)場一帶為全市最低點，水深3～4米。災(zāi)民達65萬，水災(zāi)死亡萬余人。全市被淹一個半月之久，許多民房倒塌。偽幣貶值，物價飛漲，瘟疫流行，病餓交加，浮尸漂蕩，慘不忍睹。南馬路個人慈善機構(gòu)“正字慈會粥廠” ,開展賑災(zāi)義舉。

·1917年日租界旭街寶成金店被淹之狀

·1939年法租界二十六號路中原公司被淹之狀

Tianjin,located at the Nine Rivers Converge,is endowedwith rivers and low-lying lands. In her history,Tianjinwas devastated by floods almost every year due toineffective harness in river ways and dykes. Catastrophicfloods still hit frequently in modem times.
From July to August in 1871 (Tongzhi 1871),Tianjin suffered a continuous rainfall,with tides poured,banks burst,and villages submerged. Over 100,000refugees rushed into Tianjin for shelters and food. Theauthorities withheld grains of 100,000 dans which wereto be transported to the capital by water and purchasedrice for aid. It was estimated that the refugees totaled351,900.
Since 21 May,1890 (Guangxu 1890),Tianjin wereovercast and rainstorms lasted for 7 days since 29th.Consequently,rivers overflowed. In the north and theeast,British and French settlements,the water was of2 to 4 chi deep. For the biggest flood during the pastdecades of years,it had an annual rainfall of 1221.9mmwhich was the largest in record ever.
In September,1917,Tianjin was hit by heavyfloods,on 21st,banks burst in Da Jiang Village and YangLiuqing; Jinpu railroad interrupted. On 22nd,water wasin great depth along the three river junctions. On 23rd,river in Nan Yun River rose greatly and was parallel tothe northern bank; He Bei Street was submerged. Britishand French settlements were also submerged on 24th.Water was as deep as 6 chi on either side of road in frontof the post office in the Japanese settlement. Accordingto statistics,there were approximate 66,000 housessubmerged by water,of which 20,000 collapsed,andcaused 100,000 people homeless.
In August,1939,Tianjin was once again sufferedfrom heavy floods. Since early July,it was badly hitby storming rain; rivers rose rapidly. On 7th August,puppet authorities of Japanese exploded the right bankof Nan Yun River at Ma Village and Sang Yuan in YangLiuqing,resulting in floods that poured into the low-lying southwest area of Tianjin. On 10th,Tianjin wassurrounded by floods. The southern embankments burstto the west of Chen Tang Village on 19th; water was of1 meter deep in Tu Cheng and of 2.4 meters deep in thevicinity of Xin Warehouse. Quan Yechang,was sufferingfrom water of 3 to 4 meters deep. The number of thevictims reached 650,000,among whom thousands died.The whole city was flooded for over 40 days. Manyhouses collapsed. The money devalued; price rose;plagues spread; disease and starvation indulged; bodiesfloated on water. Zheng Charity,a private charitableinstitution at Nan Ma Road,started to provide disasterrelief to the refugees.