I would like to share some thoughts of mine about why there is a ubiquity of flood myths. Perhaps I am utterly wrong. Anyways, let's go:
Maybe ancient civilizations' always having flood myths is not that odd, considering they all appeared on riversides, a place prone to problems with high-level waters.
Myths use to make things bigger. For instance, giants (a bigger human). So it seems natural to me that they would make myths about a really big flood.
Of note, while volcanos and earthquakes don't happen everywhere. Floods can happen at any place close to large bodies of water (sea or river).
Also at places away! As long as there is heavy rain. In a community on mountains, it might cause mudslides (it happens a lot at slums in Sao Paulo). Rains are also accompanied by a scary phenomenon: lightnings. That would further increase the fear of rain-caused floods.
I was also wondering: but why not many myths about droughts? What about when river levels are far below normal? I guess maybe because it's not something immediately destructive. Many might die due to it, of course. But it does not destroy buildings, and also it's effects are slower. It gives time to people go to somewhere else. Whereas floods quickly kill.
Thus, droughts would be far less traumatic. Even if even more deadly.
Maybe ancient civilizations' always having flood myths is not that odd, considering they all appeared on riversides, a place prone to problems with high-level waters.
Myths use to make things bigger. For instance, giants (a bigger human). So it seems natural to me that they would make myths about a really big flood.
Of note, while volcanos and earthquakes don't happen everywhere. Floods can happen at any place close to large bodies of water (sea or river).
Also at places away! As long as there is heavy rain. In a community on mountains, it might cause mudslides (it happens a lot at slums in Sao Paulo). Rains are also accompanied by a scary phenomenon: lightnings. That would further increase the fear of rain-caused floods.
I was also wondering: but why not many myths about droughts? What about when river levels are far below normal? I guess maybe because it's not something immediately destructive. Many might die due to it, of course. But it does not destroy buildings, and also it's effects are slower. It gives time to people go to somewhere else. Whereas floods quickly kill.
Thus, droughts would be far less traumatic. Even if even more deadly.
