1864 Machilipatnam Cyclone on:
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A tropical cyclone hit the coastal town of
state
The memorial inscription is reproduced below:
A tropical cyclone hit the coastal town of Machilipatnam
Machilipatnam (), also known as Masulipatnam and Bandar (), is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Krishna district. It is also the Tehsil, mandal ...
(Masulipatam in old records) on 1st of November 1864 causing heavy casualties and damaging properties. A memorial was erected in Machilipatnam
Machilipatnam (), also known as Masulipatnam and Bandar (), is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Krishna district. It is also the Tehsil, mandal ...
to the memory of an estimated 30000 deaths.
History
During October 1864, atropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...
impacted Kolkata leading to loss of life and properties. Few weeks later on 1st of November, another severe cyclone impacted Machilipatnam. The day started with overcast skies and by afternoon it started raining and wind picked speed. Coinciding with the high tides resulted in a 13-foot high storm surge
A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...
that went 17 miles inland devastating everything on its path while receding as well. Eye-witness accounts of the night describe the cyclone impact in detail during and after the impact.
Impact
The village of Gilakaladindi and the English/Dutch fort were heavily impacted that resulted in an estimated death of 30,000 people. The impact was felt up toVijayawada
Vijayawada ( ), formerly known by its colonial name Bezawada, is the second largest city and a major commercial hub in the Andhra Pradesh state of India. The city forms an integral part of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region and is situated on th ...
and Guntur
Guntur (), natively spelt as Gunturu, is a city in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of Guntur district. The city is part of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region and is lo ...
leading to loss of lives. After hearing the news of the disaster, the Madras presidency sent rescue boats with relief aid and medical personnel. A vessel named Arabia sent from Madras reached Masulipatam
Machilipatnam (), also known as Masulipatnam and Bandar (), is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Krishna district. It is also the mandal headqua ...
port on 17th November and returned with some of the surviving European and East Indian Company personnel.
The East India government started the 'Masulipatam Relief Fund' in order to aid the rescue and rehabilitation efforts of the people impacted by the cyclone. An official report from the health officer mentioned how the inroads of sea water contaminated fresh water wells that triggered diarrhea and fevers. Further the disaster made agriculture lands uncultivable for years and destroyed the vegetation. Queen of England in her parliament opening speech in 1865 made a mention about the cyclones.
This cyclone along with the 1864 Calcutta cyclone
On 5 October 1864, most of the areas of Calcutta (present-day Kolkata), India was inundated and destroyed by a tropical cyclone. Dubbed the 1864 Calcutta cyclone, the storm caused over 60,000 fatalities in its wake. The cyclone crossed the coast ...
prompted the British East Indian Company to develop a cyclone warning system in India.
Memorial
Manuel Fruvall who lost his brothers' family in the disaster and Thornhill, the thendistrict magistrate
The district magistrate, also known as the district collector or deputy commissioner, is a career civil servant who serves as the executive head of a district's administration in India. The specific name depends on the state or union territo ...
of Machilipatnam built a memorial to commemorate the disaster and the loss of lives. This memorial is inside the Catholic burial ground close to Bandar kota in Machilipatnam and it is currently in dilapidatestate
The memorial inscription is reproduced below:
THIS MONUMENT COMMEMORATES THE MELANCHOLY FATE OF ANTHONY AND MARIA FRUVALL THEIR SONS JOSEPH, MICHAEL, PETER, MANUEL, AND DANIEL AND THEIR DAUGHTER MARY ΑΝΝ HANNAH AND HER CHILDREN JOSEPH AND GEORGIANNA AND ABOUT 30,000 SOULS WHO WERE ALL UNEXPECTEDLY SWEPT INTO ETERNITY BY THE OCEAN WAVE WHICH DESOLATED THIS TOWN ON THE NIGHT OF THE CYCLONE OF 1st NOVEMBER 1864 MANUEL FRUVALL ANXIOUS TO PAY A TRIBUTE OF AFFECTION TO THE MEMORY OF HIS BROTHER AND FAMILY AND TO EXPRESS HIS CORDIAL SYMPATHY WITH HIS SURVIVING FELLOW CITIZENS HAS CAUSED THIS PILLAR TO BE ERECTED ON THE VERY SPOT WHERE HIS RELATIVES PERISHED (WHICH FOR YEARS HAD BEEN THEIR HAPPY HOME) TO PERPETUATE THE REMEMBRANCE OF THIS AWEFUL EVENT, AND TO SERVE AT THE SAME TIME AS A LASTING MEMORIAL,OF THE GRAVEFUL FEELING WITH WHICH HE AND THE ENTIRE POPULATION RECOGNIZE THE UNCEASING AND NOBLE HEARTED EXERTIONS OF THEIR WORTHY. CHIEF MAGISTRATE C.THORNHILL ESQUIRE TO CONSOLE THE SURVIVORS AND RELIEVE AS FAR AS HUMAN SUCCOUR COULD AVAIL THE DISTRESS OF THE INHABITANTS "O YE SEAS AND RIVERS, BLESS THE LORD PRAISE AND EXALT HIM ABOVE ALL FOR EVER" DAN 111.78
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