Sedimentary record and luminescence chronology of palaeoflood events along the Gold Gorge of the upper Hanjiang River, middle Yangtze River basin, China

•Two palaeoflood events were identified along the upper Hanjiang River valley, middle Yangtze River basin, China.•The magnitude of the palaeoflood events was estimated to be 16,560–17,930 m3/s.•A palaeoflood chronology over the last 4000 years within the upper Hanjiang Basin was established in detail.•The palaeoflood clusters were highly sensitive to the variability of palaeoclimatic proxies as recorded in central China.•Accelerated soil erosion over the basin was caused by these hydro-climatic events and human actives.