The great flood was described as?

Various descriptions and terms have been used to describe the great flood. It has been called variously, 'the Flood of Noah', 'Noah's Flood', 'The Deluge', a 'Cataclysm', or simply 'The Flood' as distinct from any particular local flood. Interestingly, the Hebrew Word 'mabul' also makes this distinction in that it is a Word which includes all of the above meanings, as distinct from any local flood, no matter how great and devastating.