why was the yellow river a source of both life and death for the ancient chinese

The Yellow River was a source of rich fertile soil and irrigation water. However, the Yellow River transformed itself more than 1,500 times in recorded history into a raging torrent that swept away entire villages. In 1943, the Yellow River washed away the crops in Henan Province, which left 3 million people to starve to death. The Yellow River is a source for plant life and rich farmland. But, it is also considered a source of death because it destroyed many villages and the people that lived in those villages.

It was a source of life because it watered crops and provided fish. But it also had devastating floods because of the continuous elevation on the river bed.