Genesis 7:19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. 20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. 21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, and every man.
As the violence of the storm increased, trees, buildings, rocks, and earth were hurled in every direction. The terror of man and beast was beyond description. Satan himself, who was compelled to remain in the midst of the warring elements, feared for his own existence. Love, no less than justice, demanded that God's judgments should put a check on sin. The avenging waters swept over the last retreat and the despisers of God perished in the black depths.
After the earth was repopulated, major retribution also had to be meted out to nations which had gone so deep in sin and rebellion that God was moved to blot them out from the face of the earth. The very same atrocities we are witnessing live today, were then taking place, just using different methods and different weapons.
The heart of man is desperately wicked, and if God did not intervene on several occasions, we would have self-destructed a long time ago. But persons have been ignorant of the reasons why God had to do what He did, so now, He is letting us witness for ourselves, why His judgements, in days of old had come due.
2nd Peter 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water. 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!