One thing that we know as a scientific fact is the ice age ended 11,000+ years ago. This caused massive flooding in the delta regions around the world. Around 8,500 BC, there was a seven degree rise in average temperatures over a fifty-year timeframe. The unprecedented flooding as the ice receded from Eurasia, the likes of which we cannot imagine, caused the oceans to rise more dramatically during a few hundred years. Combined with the rising waters were the mega-storms due to climate change. Without already being in the mountains, there was no way to escape the flash flooding that was deadly.

Around 8500 BC. The sea level rose, as I said, particularly strong. Due to the much wetter and warmer climate, cyclones were more frequent - one can understand this today with computer model calculations. The belt of the humid summer monsoon was then much more northern than it is today. As a result of such a hurricane, a devastating flood from the Arabian Sea must have reached the Persian Gulf and afflicted Mesopotamia. Over the mountains northeast and north of Mesopotamia large amounts of rainwater were released by long-lasting and productive continuous rain, which then caused large floods. [2]

Shawn Murphy's answer to How would you explain to someone that the flood in the book of Genesis was at most a localized flood?

There is a new study and theory about the great flood that is supported by an important change to humanity from a cultural anthropological basis. About 10,500 years ago was when an important change in human culture, from a hunter-gatherer culture to a farming culture - from cannibalism to animal husbandry.

Animal husbandry and farming brought the beginning of language and culture. William Jones (philologist) was the one to discover the common root of the European and Indian languages that stemmed from this new start for humanity. Sträuli theorizes that this common language was spread from the decedents of the culture created by Noah.

Not all the people in the world were killed from the flood, but this did give Noah and his decedents a head start of creating a benevolent society in the midst of a barbaric world.

References: [1] Sträuli, Robert. “Wann, Wie und Wo der Mensch Sprechen Lernte.” Museion 2000, 4/1993, 12. Print

[2] Blum, Heinz. “Erwärmung bewirktete die Sintflut” Museion 2000, 3/1994, 42. Print

[3] National Climatic Data Center - The Younger Dryas.