Everything about The Great Hurricane Of 1780 totally explained
The
Great Hurricane of 1780, also known as the
Hurricane San Calixto II, is the deadliest
Atlantic hurricane on record. Over 27,500 people died when the storm passed through the
Lesser Antilles in the
Caribbean between
October 10 and
October 16. Specifics on the hurricane's track and strength are unknown since the official
Atlantic hurricane database only goes back to 1851.
The hurricane struck
Barbados with winds possibly exceeding 200 mph (320 km/h), before moving past
Martinique,
Saint Lucia, and
Sint Eustatius; thousands of deaths were reported on each island. Coming in the midst of the
American Revolution, the storm caused heavy losses to
British and
French fleets contesting for control of the area. The hurricane later passed near
Puerto Rico and over the eastern portion of the
Dominican Republic, which at the time was known as Santo Domingo. There, it caused heavy damage near the coastlines; it ultimately turned to the northeast before being last observed on
October 20 southeast of
Cape Race,
Newfoundland.
The death toll from the Great Hurricane alone exceeds that of any other entire decade of Atlantic hurricanes, and is substantially higher than that of the second-deadliest Atlantic storm,
Hurricane Mitch. The hurricane was part of the disastrous
1780 Atlantic hurricane season, with two other deadly storms occurring in the month of October.
On
October 19, strong winds and high tides were reported in northeastern
Florida. One modern historian suggested the hurricane passed much closer to the state than previously thought. Another possibility considered was an extension to a hurricane in the western Caribbean Sea. Due to lack of data, the exact track of the Great Hurricane is unknown.
Impact
The Great Hurricane persisted near
Barbados for about two days, producing violent winds which were described as "so deafening that people couldn't hear their own voices." The winds stripped the bark off trees before the hurricane downed every tree on the island; The winds also destroyed every house on Barbados. Most ships at the bay broke free of their moorings from the hurricane's rough surf and all forts on the island were destroyed.
In
Saint Vincent, the hurricane destroyed 584 of the 600 houses in
Kingstown. At
Grenada, 19 Dutch ships were wrecked. On
Saint Lucia, rough waves and a strong
storm tide destroyed the fleet of British
Admiral Rodney at Port
Castries, with one ship destroying the city's hospital by being lifted on top of it. The hurricane destroyed all but two houses at Port Castries, and throughout the island about 6,000 perished.
A fleet of 40 French ships involved in the
American Revolutionary War capsized as a result of the hurricane off
Martinique; about 4,000 soldiers drowned. The hurricane produced a 25-foot (7.6 m) storm surge on Martinique, destroying all houses in
Saint-Pierre; 9,000 died on the island. Severe damage was reported on
Dominica,
Guadeloupe,
Antigua, and
Saint Kitts, though it's unknown if any died on those islands. Additionally, many ships were washed ashore on Saint Kitts. A powerful storm surge affected the island of
Sint Eustatius, causing 4,000 to 5,000 fatalities.
Heavy damage was reported in southern
Puerto Rico, primarily in
Cabo Rojo and
Lajas. Severe damage also occurred in the eastern region of the
Dominican Republic. The hurricane later grounded 50 ships near
Bermuda. Throughout its path, the hurricane killed over 27,500 people, making it the deadliest hurricane in Atlantic hurricane history.
Further Information
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