The torrent of the times and the torrent are both noun structures: noun+noun combination, so "historical torrent" is a coordinate phrase. Flood means

(1) [Riptide]: Huge water rushes to Chu Songyu's Xiao Yan Fu: "Analyzing flying chaff is like a boat, like a boat, throwing a glass of water is as light as a huge sea torrent." Tang Wei Wu Ying wrote in his poem "Send Yunyang to Cao Fu": "Look up at the tree and see the torrent."

(2) [Powerful current]: as powerful as a huge current.