In 'The Second Deluge' by Garrett P. Serviss, the world faces a catastrophic flood when Earth passes through a "watery nebula," causing 30,000 feet of rain to fall in less than a year. Despite warnings from scientist Cosmo Versal, no one heeds his warnings until it's too late. He builds an ark to save himself and 1,000 chosen passengers, sailing across a drowned world and encountering other survivors along the way. Serviss uses parallel plots to introduce Professor Pludder, the ex-president of the Carnegie Institution, and his attempt to save the US president and others by turning a plane into a motorized raft. Serviss's vivid descriptions of the destruction of landmarks and cities, as well as the diverse marine life that appears, make for compelling reading.