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| World History Tuesday, October 10, 1780. : The deadliest Atlantic hurricane of all time strikes Barbados, killing 4000, before reaching other areas and causing a much higher death toll. Hurricane is the name of a violent tropical storm which develops in the northern hemisphere. The equivalent weather phenomenon in the southern hemisphere is known as a cyclone. A particularly destructive force, a hurricane has the capacity to cause extensive damage when it hits the coast, precipitating mudslides, flash floods, storm surges, and wind and fire damage. The Great Hurricane of 1780 made landfall first at Barbados on 10 October 1780. 4,000 people were killed as the hurricane almost levelled the island on its first day. In the next three days, the Caribbean islands of Martinique and St Eustatius were also hit. As it was the middle of the American Revolution, large numbers of naval personnel were killed when American, British and French fleets were destroyed. It is estimated that around 22,000 people in total died, although the figure could be as high as 30,000. |
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