In October 1780, the Caribbean witnessed the deadliest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. The "Great Hurricane of 1780" tore through the Lesser Antilles from October 10 to 16, leaving an estimated 22,000 souls lost in its wake. This staggering death toll surpassed many decades of Atlantic hurricane fatalities and marginally exceeded the casualties from Hurricane Mitch, another catastrophic storm, but with more precise figures.
Barbados faced the hurricane's wrath at what was likely Category 5 intensity. Some accounts suggest wind speeds soared as high as 200 mph (320 km/h) – unparalleled in recorded Atlantic basin history. As the storm raged on, it swept past Martinique, Saint Lucia, and Sint Eustatius, leaving thousands dead. These islands were not just battling nature's fury but entwined in the tumultuous American Revolution. The hurricane delivered a significant blow to the British fleet, vying for regional control, severely undermining their dominion over the Atlantic.
Further, the storm inflicted heavy damage as it moved closer to Puerto Rico and traversed the eastern part of Hispaniola. Its wrath was felt across coastlines, uprooting lives and altering landscapes. By October 20, the hurricane took a northeastern turn, fading away southeast of Atlantic Canada but leaving behind tales of its fury.
The 1780 hurricane season was notably calamitous, with this Great Hurricane being just one of three deadly storms in October. While records from this era are less meticulous than today, with the official Atlantic hurricane database starting from 1851, the scale and devastation of this hurricane remain etched in history.
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