Forty-three years ago this week, a cyclone hit East Pakistan (Bangladesh) and killed one million people.
The Canberra Times Tuesday 24 November 1970
The latest confirmed death count is 168,000, but Dacca news media reported “unofficial but confirmed figures” putting the toll at more than one million.
The reports said 300,000 died in Noakhali in Patuakhali district, 200,000 on Bohla Island, 110,000 on Hatia Island and 100,000 more on another 200 islands.
Bhola Island and Patuakhali between them are half the area of about 2,500 square miles affected and have more than half the affected population of 2.2 million.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkcuZoR6XSU]
I remember it well. And of course the event was immortalized by George Harrison.
TOKYO, Friday (AAP).—Typhoon Shirley carved a path of destruction across Japan today with 173 mph winds, the strongest yet recorded here.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/105861546
11 Sept 1965
MANILA, Monday (A.A.P.). — Typhoon Opal, with winds of up to 172 m.p.h. churned slowly toward the populous Southern Philippines yesterday.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/107515316
15 Dec 1964
HONOLULU, Monday (A.A.P.).-Typhoon Karen lashed the island of Guam with winds up to 172 miles an hour to-day, leaving in its wake what the Federal Aviation Agency said was “a major disaster.”
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/104300567
13 Nov 1962
Meanwhile, a report from Miami, Florida, said that hurricane “Esther,” huge and violent, yesterday began curving towards the northwest across the Atlantic on a course that probably took all of Florida out of range of its 200 m.p.h. blasts.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/103088174
20 Sep 1961
NOAA Report:
17 September 1961
“This has become a very severe hurricane with highest sustained winds estimated 150 MPH near the center with gusts in the severest squalls in the 175 to 200 MPH range.”
http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/hurricanes/Qc9452e82h81961.pdf
156 M.P.H. TYPHOON HITS OKINAWA
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/79268501
13 Sep 1956
Naha (Okinawa), Today: Big US base of Okinawa braced itself today against a 184 mph typhoon bearing down on the island from the south-east.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/75736585
15 Aug 1953
TOKIO, July 1. A typhoon, with winds as high as 172 m.p.h. roared up from the Philippines today.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/48276881
1 July 1953
TOKIO, October 11— (A.A.P. and Reuters) The typhoon, which hit Iwo Jima yesterday morning, was accompanied by winds up to 170 m.p.h.. according to official reports received in Tokio and Guam.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62909924
13 Oct 1947
FOUR SHIPS were driven ashore when a typhoon, reaching 164 m.p.h., lashed Hongkong Harbour last month.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/124605388
25 Oct 1937
JAPANESE TYPHOON
MORE THAN 1,200 DEAD
WIND REACHES 200-M.P.H.
Damage Exceeds £50,000,000
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/10972790
24 Sept 1934