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Bengal cyclone of 1876
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Bengal cyclone of 1876

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Also known as: Great Backerganj Cyclone of 1876
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Quick Facts
Also called:
Great Backerganj Cyclone of 1876
Date:
October 31, 1876

Bengal cyclone of 1876, deadly cyclone that struck Bangladesh (then part of the province of Bengal in British India) on Oct. 31, 1876, killing approximately 200,000 people.

The cyclone formed over the Bay of Bengal and made landfall at the Meghna River estuary. A high tide made the effects of the storm particularly deadly, and a storm surge of roughly 40 feet (12 metres) flooded the low-lying coastal areas. It is estimated that half of the deaths caused by the storm resulted from disease and starvation related to the flooding.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Heather Campbell.