Calcutta Cyclone, 1737

About

The 1737 Calcutta Cyclone, also known as the Hooghly River Cyclone, was a devastating natural disaster that struck on October 11, 1737. It made landfall near Kolkata, India, within the Ganges River Delta, causing widespread destruction. The cyclone generated a storm surge of 10-13 meters, with heavy rainfall of 381 mm in just six hours. This severe weather event destroyed over 20,000 vessels, ranging from large ships to canoes, and significantly impacted the local population and infrastructure. The cyclone is often reported to have resulted in a death toll of around 300,000 people, although this figure may include broader regional impacts beyond Calcutta itself. Official records from the British East India Company noted approximately 3,000 deaths within Calcutta. The cyclone's effects were exacerbated by the region's low-lying terrain and the largely mud and straw construction of local buildings. Despite reports of an accompanying earthquake, recent scholarship suggests this may be overstated, with the primary damage attributed to the cyclone's storm surge and winds.