The Bhola cyclone and tidal wave occurred in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) on 13 November 1970. It was one of the greatest tropical cyclones of the 20th century.
On the night of 12 November a tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal was approaching the coast of East Pakistan. Winds in excess of 120 mph (190 km/h), combined with an exceptionally high tide of 15 to 20 feet (5 to 6 m), drove a tidal surge into the low lying, densely populated region in the early hours of the morning. The result was widespread flooding, with many people being drowned in their sleep.
The offical death toll was put at 150,000, with 100,000 people missing. However many estimates put the true figure as high as 500,000.
The highest loss of life and destruction occurred on the low lying islands of the Ganges Delta south of Dhaka. In particular the island and district of Bhola , where casualties may have exceeded 100,000 alone, with the towns of Charfasson and Tazumuddin being devastated. The city of Chittagong was also badly affected.
The Bay of Bengal is particularly vulnerable to cyclone disasters. The next most comparable disaster in the area was the 1991 Bangladesh Cyclone which killed over 130,000 people.
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