1737 Calcutta cyclone
Tropical cyclone in the North Indian Ocean
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Through Indian Ocean, Ganges and Bangladesh
Meteorological history
Based on inland observations that the cyclone's tidal effects were felt as far as 130 km (81 mi) inland south-southwest of Calcutta, the storm likely formed near the coast of Burma, supported by observations of ships passing in the area. The cyclone presumably moved northwest before turning northward, paralleling the coast of Calcutta between 10 and 11 October. The storm then began to slow down before turning north-northeastwards, making landfall over the Ganges River Delta, just south of Calcutta. It slowed down while crossing the West Bengal, entering modern-day Bangladesh on or by 13 October before being last noted that day, far to the north of Dacca.
The track
India Meteorological Department researchers conducted a study about the storm's track, finding similar storms that passed on or near Calcutta to cause similar damage and the same date when they passed. The 1864 Calcutta cyclone is an example they used, as the storm also had caused similar aftermath to the area nearly 127 years before. The full brunt of the 1864 storm was felt at Calcutta from 10:00 pm to 4:00 am (IST) on 4 and 5 October (14:30 pm to 20:30 pm, UTC). Meanwhile, the storm started to brush the coast of the area on "the night of October 11 and 12", presumably between the same time as the 1864 storm but using the date of the 1737 storm. Researchers then adjusted the landfall time of the 1737 storm to match the time where the residents inland experienced the storm's fury.
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Impact
The cyclone is regarded as one of India's worst natural disasters since reliable statistics began to be recorded.
Rain accumulation of the Ganges was estimated at 381 mm (15 in) over six hours. In his official report, Thomas Joshua Moore, the British East India Company duties collector, said that almost all the thatched buildings had been destroyed by the storm and flood. An estimated 3,000 inhabitants of the town have been killed.
A contemporary account of the cyclone, from the Gentleman's Magazine of London, stated that an earthquake had destroyed some 20,000 ships in the harbour and killed some 300,000 people. Given the population of Calcutta was 20,000 at the time, the 300,000 figure is either an error or, less probably, a figure relating to the whole of Bengal. Although there would appear to be little evidence for the widely reported figure of 300,000 deaths, or for an earthquake at all, this number shows up recurrently in popular literature. At the same time, the figure of 3,000 is only an estimation of the number of deaths inside the city itself.
Many cattle, tigers, and rhinoceroses were drowned in a storm surge with an estimated height of 10–13 meters (or 30–40 feet) from the storm and the "earthquake". Many crocodiles were also drowned by the strong river currents, and birds were plunged into the river by the winds, drowning them. Two 500-ton ships were thrown by large waves into a populated village, which further broke into pieces. Many people and cattle were killed. Two more ships of 60 tons were wrecked and found over the high grounds, destroying large trees. Eight out of nine ships were lost in the Ganges River and most of their crews drowned in the high seas. Three out of four Dutch ships also sank in the Ganges River and Bay of Bengal, respectively. The spire of the Govindaram temple was also destroyed by the cyclone.
In the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan on Kolkata, many people, including Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee compared the catastrophe of the storm to this cyclone due to its similar effects and impact.