Yesterdate: This day from Kolkata’s past, October 16, 1942
Telegraph | 17 October 2024
On this day, a heavy cyclone from the Bay of Bengal passed through several districts of Bengal. Midnapore was among the worst-affected.
The cyclone struck early in the morning and continued till early next morning. On October 16 afternoon, a high tidal surge destroyed a large part of Midnapore and the 24 Parganas districts.
In the Bengal Legislative Council, it was mentioned that an estimated 10,000 people were killed in Midnapore. In 24 Parganas, about 1,000 people were killed. The loss of cattle was immense.
The cyclone affected crops in 1943 when the famine that is said to have killed millions hit Bengal.
The main reason behind the famine, however, was the stockpiling of the grains by the British for its army.
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