CHAPTER 2

HISTORY OF TROPICAL CYCLONES IN

TAMIL NADU (1800-1900)

Climate is one of the many complex and subtly changing elements of the
environment upon which human societies depend for their survival. In recent
years, interest in historical climatology has grown considerably, and significant
contributions have been made not only by natural scientists but also by historians
(Annal school of thought especially Ladurie). This interest has arisen through an
increased awareness of man’s susceptibility to the vagaries of climate, through
the maxim of the actuarial approach to climatic forecasting.

It is useful to place a hundred years sample in context with the great

catastrophes in history in which most deaths were caused by tropical cyclones
and cyclonic floods. If the history of the last century is repeated it is not
unreasonable to expect that the potential exists for a repetition of such
catastrophes on the country. The magnitude of the impact will reflect progress in
mitigation and community preparedness in the years ahead. One can argue that,
by looking at the ways in which climate has affected societies in the historical
past, it should be possible to identify more precisely the potential impacts (and
successful adaptive strategies) that present and future climatic fluctuations can
have on human societies. Such studies are free from contemporary political
controversies and other obscuring factors. Global and regional climate changes
will affect different societies and different segments within societies in a wide
variety of ways. One means to determine the range of impacts is to undertake
case studies on ways in which families, political institutions, and social sectors
such as agriculture have been affected by changing or varying climates.
Historical case studies of climatically vulnerable areas may be particularly useful
in understanding societal adaptations.1

1 American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1980, p.p14

 50

Tropical Cyclone Climatology of Southern India

In the Bay of Bengal, as is well known condition along the shore are more
favorable to storm surges to attain enormous dimension specially when they
coincide with the astronomical tides. Also the storm waves arrive as sudden rise
of water sometimes as advancing well water and at other times in the form of
bores with very steep points. The characteristic feature of the cyclone is peculiar
in Bay of Bengal when compared with other seas. From the historical records, it
is seen that there were instances when the height of the storm surges attained 10
meters or more, roughly equivalent to the height of a modern four storied
building.2

The South Indian state of Tamil Nadu is one of the important maritime
states of India. It is frequently subjected to cyclones and flooding in the coastal
districts. Next to Andhra Pradesh, the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu experienced
the maximum number of cyclones viz. Chengelpattu (including Chennai,
South Arcot, Pondicherry), Tanjavur (including Puducottai, Ramanathapuram,
Thirunelveli, Kanyakumari) are the most vulnerable areas.

Madras is subjected to various cyclones, generally in the early part of May,

November, and at the end of October. They seem to travel up from the East
South East and progress rapidly in the West and to the North-West direction till
they touch the land, and then they assume a west or sometimes a west South
West course. Their centers generally come on to the port of Madras. Their
diameters are about 150 miles, and they revolve in a direction contrary to the
hands of a watch, as do all cyclones north of the Equator. When the cyclone’s
center comes right on to Madras, and thence takes a west course, the wind is first
at north, increasing in violence for a few hours, and then a full or awful calm for
half an hour or so, when the cyclones re-commences furiously from exactly
opposite quarter, south. Usually the gale commences about North-North-West
showing that the vortex of the cyclones bears about East-North-East. Vessels
therefore, warned by the Barometer, hallow breaking surf, the threatening sky,

2 Construction of the Madras Harbour Selection of the Government of India, Public Works
Department. No.CCVI-papers connected with the Calcutta. 1885. p.p 39,40.
 51

and the signals of the watchful Master Attendant, should at once put to sea.
The course to steer, and fortunately it is one which the wind permits, is South–
South–East to South East. In a few hours the vessel will probably have the wind
moderate at West, and may, in fact it has been done, sail round the cyclone , the
wind veering to south and then to east. Vessels at first steering east to get way
from the land have run right into the vortex of the cyclone. The only danger in a
southerly course is from the storm-wave setting a ship on shore. If the gale
commences North North West at Madras, and ends at South East as has often
happened, it shows that the center has taken a West South-West course, and
passed a little to the South of the town, but if it ends at South West, it shows the
center has taken a West North West course, and the vortex has passed to the
North of Madras.3

History of cyclones prior to 1800

Alfred Wagener, a German meteorologist in his notable book The origins of
continents and oceans have observed that the Indian subcontinent has drifted from
a very big continental mass. The deposits of plants, insects, fishes, amphibians
reptiles found in the most ancient crust of India had striking resemblances with
that of varieties found in South Africa, South America and Australia.
Mr. Maharaj Chopra, when telling about India and the Indian Ocean, points out
that the sub continent was nothing but a part of a proto- continent Gondowana
land. 4

“Once India lay much farther south, part of a Proto-Continent

Gondwanaland, when this primordial land mass sundered, Antarctica, Australia
and Africa moved apart. India split from Malagasy drifted northward till it
collided with the Eurasian land mass. Scientists say that the Himalaya Mountain
was pushed up as a result of the collision, with ‘prodigious outburst of igneous
and plutonic action’ as the Gazetteer of India puts it carrying along the deposits
of the sea. Some striking resemblances have been found between these deposits

3 Ibid p. 42
4 K.V. Balasubramanian, “The sea level rise in the Coastal Tamil Land in the
Cangam age” Proceedings Int. Quat. Seminar on INQUA Shoreline India Ocean Sub-
Commission, ( 2000),p. 80
 52

and those in Bay of Bengal brought down by the Himalayan rivers. The land
movement has not halted: and the subcontinent is said to be still moving at the
rate of 3 cm-a year pushing China up.”5

There are references to cyclone which resulted in the submergence of large

tracts, in ancient Tamil literature. The ancient Tamil land had witnessed several
deluges the result of which vast and expansive landed area had submerged
under the sea. The early Sankam verses pointed out the great loss and many
poets lament over this. But this phenomenon was not uniform throughout the
coastal area of Tamil Nadu, but was confined to some parts of the coromandel
coast only. The first Sangam or Mudal Sangam and the southern part of the
Pandian Kingdom was eroded and obliged the southern king to seek a new
capital. The king did not learn by experience and chose to make another coastal
town (Kapatapuram on the east coast near Korkai) his new capital. The second
sangam called Idai sangam was also engulfed by the sea. The capital was then
shifted to Madurai. According to the Iraiyaanar Ahapporul the castastrophe
happened during the Pandiya king Mudattirumaran. The Tollkappiam, the age old
grammar, the first available treatise of Tamil grammar and other eighteen
monumental literary works of the Sangam period and Silappathikaram and
Manimegalai the twin epics, the date of which is established beyond doubt as the
second century AD substitute ample evidences for the sea-level changes that had
changed the southern peninsula to a very big level. The coastal tract from
Visakappattinam to Kodikkarai [Nagappattinam district] regularly faces
cyclones.6

There was a heavy loss of land in the south, the grand old port city of the
Cholas, ‘Kaviripoompattinam’ otherwise called ‘Poompuhar’ was hurt by
another deluge and had carried away Poompuhar. Cattanar the author of
Manimekalai has recored, this catastrophical deluge thus:The city forget Indira’s
festival Goddess Manimekalai was angered and she cursed:

5 Ibid.p.81.
6 N. Subramanian, Social and Cultural History of Tamilnad upto AD 1336,
(Udumalpet: Ennes Publication, ,2005), p.52
 53

‘Let the beautiful city be

destroyed by the sea’ Puhar was ruined .
As the sea flowed over the large city like
Indra with long lance-wielding hands,
The king departed from thence all
alone uprising waves engulfed noble Puhar.

The submergence of Pumpukar was due to such cyclones and the resultant
sea erosion. The coastal belt adjacent to the Palk straits falling a prey to cyclone
has become an annual feature. The deluges which had usurped vast area of the
land in the Bay of Bengal, had taken away many ports. The Kollam Eyirpattinam,
Arikkamedu, Kaviripoompattinam, Thondi, Marunkai,Korkai are the port cities
that had been lost under water.7 But the coastal belt between Kodikkarai and
Thoothukudi usually does not experience such calamities regularly. As the force
of the north- east monsoon was not severe in this belt, due to a natural barrier in
the form of Srilanka, the water depth is so shallow to allow the deluge to occur.
In the mediaeval period during the Pallava’s regime the Mahapalipuram shore
was a border one and the sea shore temple called ‘mallai Thala Sayana Perumal
temple’ which stood fully well on the shore is partly submerged now. On the
alternate the sea which was very close to the Chidambaram town had receded
and went far off leaving the town completely safe.9

Major Storm of 17th And 18th Century

Sixteenth and Seventeenth century witnessed number of major cyclones.
Three weeks before the East India Company settlement in Madras unreasonable
cyclonic storm of March 1639 caused the loss of Eagle and Unity vessels. The
usual months of storms are May, October and November. The occurrence of
storm in March was unlooked for. Other major cyclone during the century were
the cyclones of 28th February 1661, 22nd November 1668, 21st-23rd April 1674,

7 R. Sinakani ,(ed), Thoothukudi District Gazetteers, Vol.I (Tamil Nadu State, , 2007)
p.81.
8 K.V. Balasubramanian, Proc.Int. Quat. Seminar on INQUA Shoreline India Ocean
Sub-Commission, “The sea level rise in the Coastal Tamil land in the Cangam
age”, 2000. p.p.82
9 Ibid p.p.83.
 54

3rd November 1684, 4th-8th October 1687, 22nd November 169510. Seventeenth
century storm are 7th and 8th April 1717, 13th and 14th November 1721. It was the
severe storm, 30th October 1729, 2nd October 1746 that created great damage to
De la Bourdonnais fleet. It caused grievous havoc among the ships in the
roadstead. The vessels Phenix and Duc d’Orleans were lost and four other vessels
were blown out to sea and dismasted at Madras, which was a great set back to
the French fleet. 31st October 1752, 1stJanuary 1761 cyclone destroyed H.M.
squadron in Pondicherry, 20th October 1763, 30th October, 1768, 14th October 1782
more than 100 native craft which had come to Madras with Rice to feed the
thousand who had flocked into the town to escape Haider’s horsemen were
wrecked and a terrible famine followed. The 13th November 1791, storm played
an important role in the political history of East India Company and the French
Company in the 17th century11.

Nineteenth Century First Storm

The gale commenced about midnight, on the 5th December 1803. The wind
flew round in a violent gust to the southward, and till 6p.m. it was blowing
hurricane. On the 4th December 1803, H.M. Ship Centurion (of 50 guns, bearing
the flag of Admiral Rainier) on her passage from Trincomalee to Madras,
experienced a violent cyclone, which left her with nothing standing, but the bow
spirit; and had nearly proved her destruction. H.M. ship was so severely strained
that she had eight feet water in her hold, and her upper deck guns were obliged
to be here overboard. H.M.S.Albatrass (vessal) was dismasted in the same storm,
and put in Negapattnam to refit12.

Storm of 1807
Wind began from 9th December 1807; blew equally strong from East-South,
East, and South. Madras suffered from another storm on the 10th December
180713 Fortunately there was only one vessel on the roads, when the storm
commenced, and she was put in the sea. The devastation along the beach and

10 Henry Davison Love, Vestiges of Old Madras 1640-1800, Vol.I (New Delhi: Mittal
Publication, 1995),p.p.29-33
11 Ibid. p.p.206
12 W.Francis, Gazetteer of south India, 1855, p. 195
13 Sir William Wilson Hunter, Imperial gazetteer of India, (oxford Clarendon
Pressvol.I.1908) p.368.
 55

this hurricane that occurred there created an extraordinary rise of the tide, which
inundated the whole of Black Town (George town). The sea rose much beyond its
usual height, and by its violence exposed 4 feet from the foundation of the house;
one side of the adjacent building, the naval office was much damaged. The
company’s rice godowns were forced to open, much of their contents were
washed away. 14

Disastrous Hurricane of 1811

Very disastrous hurricane broke out near Madras on 2nd May
1811. Two large ships which did not run to sea were founded and ninety country
craft were lost and the surf broke in 9 fathoms of water 4 miles from the shore. 15
In the storm the ‘Dover’ frigate and a store ship were lost in the road.
Providentially the fleet with the troops for the attacks of Java had just sailed.
Ninety country boats went down their anchors. Only two vessals that were in the
roads, when the hurricane set in, were saved and put to sea. During this
hurricane the surf broke in nine fathoms water, four miles from shore. 16

Storm of Madura
In November 1814 a terrific storm from the south-east swept over the
neighbourhood of Madura town. 17The setting in of that North-east monsoon
gives a brief time of bad weather at Paumban, and experience expects the tail of a
Madras storm to visit Palk Bay about once in 17 years. 18.The collector of Tanjore
reported that rain had fallen all over the provinces but that it must have been
heavier to the westward as the account from the anicut in the Cauvery near
Trichinopoly of the 20th November.

14 Public works Department, dated, 24/4/1882,G.O.1008 w.

15 Public Department Consultancy ,dated, 11/1/1814,Vol.No.415,p.p.232-234.
16 Op.cit., W .Francis, Gazetteer of south India , (Madras: Government Press 1855),
p.p.196
17 Ceylon Further report, Paumban ship Canal, presented to the House of Commence
by command of Majesty, London ,May 1873, p.p.7
18 Board of Revenue Consultation ,dated, 12/12/1814, Vol. 663 ,No.33. p.p.15098-106
 56

Violent Storm of Madras

On 24th October 1818 Madras again suffered by a storm. The wind
commenced at north and after increasing in violence, suddenly lulled, and
suddenly flew around furiously to south. This Hurricane travelled west and its
vortex passed over the town. The barometer fell to 28.78. 19

Hurricane of 1820
On 30th March a storm commenced from North East, veered to N.N.W and
S.W. This storm was worse than the storm of October 1818. On the 9th October
1820 there was a hurricane commencing at North West veering to West South
West. The barometer fell to 28.50. Here the cyclone travelled West and passed to
the north of Madras 20

The Tanjore Storm of 1827

On 7th, 8th, 9th May 1827 Tanjore suffered heavily by the cyclone. On the
night of 9th there was a gale from North West. This storm was longer in duration.
No crop remained on the ground. The disaster of 1827 exceeded any that had
occurred within people’s memory. Cattle were swept away in hundreds. In the
Srivaikundam and Tiruchendur taluks, the work of water courses was under
water for several days.21

The Storm of 1830

The threatening aspect of the weather during the whole of Tuesday, 2nd
December, indicated an approaching storm, but the wind fortunately subsided
during the night and they were not aware of any damage having been sustained
in the neighborhood of Madras. But, at Pondicherry and Cuddalore, it blew a
terrific hurricane. At Pondicherry the rain commenced with heavy squall from
the north east about noon and continued from that quarter until 8 p.m. At 1 a.m.
On Friday it suddenly shifted to the east, when it blew with great violence; day
light presented a scene of devastation, surpassing anything ever witnessed at

19 Public Department Consultancy, dated, 3/11/ 1818, Vol.No 459, p.p.3247.

20 Op.cit,C.D. Maclean, Manuel of Madras Administration.Vol. No. 65, Part II,p.p.28
21 Op.cit.,T. Venkatasamy, Manuel of Tanjore District, Part. I
 57

Madras.22 De Melay, Governor of Pondicherry, in a report sent to France on 29th

January 1831 had furnished an account of the havoc wrought by the severe
cyclone of 2nd December. Crops in the surrounding villages were completely
lost.

Storm of 1836
The wind began to blow strong on the night of the 29 th October 1836, the
following day accompanied with rain, the wind continued to increase every hour;
between 7 and 8`o clock, it blow a perfect hurricane blew from the north north
west and north. After an ominous lull of half an hour, it flew round with
redoubled violence from the south at ½ past 9. At this time the barometer was
28.85. Which shifted at about 10`O clock at night to south east, with double force.
The storm abated on 30th October 1836..23

Violent Storm of 1842

The cyclone which struck Pondicherry on October 1842 was the worst of
all since 1745. It is an extraordinary violence. Earlier, the region had
experienced mild storm on 30th October 1836 and May 1840.24 This cyclone
blew in two spells, first at 4 p.m. and then at 6 p.m. the same day. The town
suffered heavy damage. Roof tops were blown off. Uprooted coconut trees
falling on houses had aggravated the damage. All the roads were filled with
fallen trees and debris thrown up by the storm. Portion of the central jail were
damaged. The hangers of Grand Bazaar came down under its attack. The two
weaving mills of Blin and Poulain suffered considerable damage. In the ‘’Place
De Government” hardly a tree or plant was left unaffected. Out of five ships
that lay in anchor then in Pondicherry, three were wrecked. At least 82 men on
board were reported lost. The total damage was estimated at over 5,00,000
Francs. The government of France sanctioned a sum of 13,000 francs for the
immediate relief of that affected. 25

22 Asiatic society, Vol.V, May-Aug 1831,p. 68.

23 Board of revenue consultation , dated17/11/1836,Vol No.1540.p.16654.
24 Madras Herald 27th November, 1839.
25 Op.cit, Cyril Antony Francis,ed, Gazetteer of India. Union territory of
Pondicherry p. 532
 58

The Madras Storm of 20th of October, 1846

The gale, experienced at Madras on the 20th October, 1846, was not of that
violent nature, which is the usual characteristic of these visitations in tropical
storms from the fact that the wind during its continuance did not veer round
more than a point or two. It commenced at Madras, the wind had been blowing
briskly from West, South West to West North West with an unusual fall of rain.
After noon it veered back to the Westward, and gradually drew to west, south
west: the sky become more obscure, and the barometer indicated bad weather.
It then increased gradually, till, about 9 pm when it was blowing a fresh gale
from West south west: the rain at the same time falling in sheets of water. By
midnight it had amounted to a moderate hurricane, at which it remained till
about 4 a.m. of the 21st, when the Barometer which had fallen to 29.492, began to
rise although slowly.26 Between 11pm and 12pm on the night of the 20th, the wind
was from south west, yet as at 7 am on the 21st it was found still to be blowing
from nearly the same quarter, South West. It is worthy of observation too that
the various accounts given by the commanders of vessels who were in this gale,
although at considerable distances from each other and from the shore, agree in
establishing the period between midnight and 4 a.m. of the 21st as the time at the
time at which the gale was felt in its greatest strength. This must have lead to the
conclusion that the body of the hurricane was not passing from East to west, but
was formed in such a position as to throw both Madras and the shipping in its
South Eastern Quadrant. 4 am of the 21st October 1846, the wind together with the
rain, began to subside and to draw round to the southward, in which quarter it
remained strong and variable till between 7 and 8 a.m. of the 22nd when it backed
round to the North west, the barometer gradually rising till the 25th when it
attained its previous height of 30.00. There had been an unprecedented fall of
rain (20 ¾ inches in 24 hours). If the hurricane set in before the soil had dried,
not a single building or tree in Madras would have remained upright.

26 J.J. Franklin, “Notice of the storms experienced at Madras on the 20th October and
25th November, 1846’’,Madras Journal of Literature and Science Vol. XIV, 1847 p.p
146-148
 59

Storm of 1846 (25th November, 1846)

The cyclone of the 25th November was as usual preceded at Madras by a
murky atmosphere with the wind blowing in squalls from the North West to
north with heavy rain. After noon it veered round to North North East, and
North East, the wind rapidly increasing and the barometer falling. Taking it for
granted then the formation took place about 300 miles east by north of Madras, it
appears to have pursued a straight course towards the coast, which struck about
midway between Madras and Sadras, soon after which it seems to have abated27
At noon of the 25th the nucleus about 160 miles eastward from Madras, at which
time the ships that left the road on the 24th began to feel the hurricane from the
Northward, from which quarter it rapidly veered to west to South west as the
centre approached and passed to the North of them. .At about 9.45 the greatest
depression of the barometer took place at Madras, being 29.03 inches. The centre
had then reached its nearest proximity to Madras lay due North of it, shown by
the wind being East, drawing round to S.E. as the body of the storm passed to the
westward.

Chingleput storm of 1848

The Chingleput district witnessed 3 violent storms, on 21st October, 1st
November and 26th November of 1848 (fusly 1256). Numerous tanks were carried
away. The portions of the punjah and sumbah crops are stated to have suffered
considerable injury and the loss of cattle was great. The 1st November storm
began before sunrise N.N.W. under 5lbs. The centre passed in the south of
Madras.

Violent Storm of Tanjore 1853

A hurricane again occurred in March 26th, 27th 1853. It was the most
violent. From which the interior of Tanjore is known to have ever suffered; but it
was not so much the winds that blew but the floods which they brought down
from the west ward that caused the damage which ensued. On the 26th of March
the wind had shifted to N.E. and was blowing in fitful gusts with squalls.

On the 27th the squalls had increased in violence, accompanied with heavy
rain, and at noon showed a tendency to veer to the eastward. At 4 p.m. the wind

27 C.S. Crole, Chinglepet District Manuel, 1879. p.p.20

 60

had veered to east, showing that the vortex of the storm had passed the
southward of Madras. Pondicherry and Karaikal were affected by the cyclone.
Four vessels anchored off Pondicherry port were lost. The tanks at
Abishekkapakkam, Kilur and Mel Sattamangalam suffered serious breaches28.
In Karikal the banks of Arasalar were breached at many points.

At Negapatnam the hurricane raged from N.N.W. and between 4 and

5 pm, the central calm was experienced with a shift of wind to the S.E, thus
demonstrating that the vortex passed directly over the roadstead travelling in
from east to west. The influence of the cyclone was felt across the peninsula at
Calicut on the night of the 27th, March. The winds kept blowing furiously for two
days (27th and 28th march) during which an immense body of water came down
the Cauvery, and swollen further by the heavy rains which fell increasingly on
these two days, burst through its distributaries and more or less covered the
greater fact of the delta.29. “In many places” in the words of the Collector, “water
stood for some days four and five feet deep over the high roads.” and a surveyor
assured.30 There was little loss of life; but the destruction of property was very
considerable. The damage in the aggregate was the heaviest in the Southern and
South Eastern parts of the delta.31 The roads and the embankment of rivers and
channels suffered very severely.

Cyclone of 20th November 1856

The cyclone of 20th November 1856 was violent. Two ships anchored off in
Pondicherry port, went adrift in the tempest and ran aground at the mouth of
river Ariyankuppam. The excessive rains of 1856 were responsible for inundating
large tracts of land in Pondicherry and Cuddalore. The barometer began to show
a downward tendency as early as the night of the 17th November 1856, but so
slight as to cause no alarm; for the next two days their tendency continued. But
there was no sudden depression; the daily rise being only little less, and the daily
fall rather more prolonged than usual. No decided fall took place until the

28 Op.cit C.A Francis Gazetteer of India. Union territory of Pondicherry p.p.533.

29 Op.cit., F.R.Hemingway, Tanjore District Gazeteer ,Vol.I, p. 150
30 T. Venkatasamy, Manuel of the Tanjore district, Part I (Madras: Government press)
p.p. 47,48.
31 B.S. Baliga, Tanjore District Hand book, (Madras: Government press, 1957) p.10.
 61

afternoon of the 20th when instead of the usual rise after 4 p.m., the mercury,
after fluctuating slightly for about an hour, continued descending until 3.30 am.
on 21st, when it stood at 29.540..32

The wind, which had been for some days a little westerly, blew rather
fresh from N.N.W. about midnight of the 19th, but the pressure scarcely, exceeded
5lb. on the square foot. On the morning of the 20th, after a short lull it veered to
the eastward of N., about 10.30 am returning to nearly due North, in the
afternoon between 2 and 3 pm. The pressure reached 12 lb, but only in a single
gust. From 5pm to 8pm the gale moderated and again became easterly; but
freshened again during the night and about midnight began to veer westerly,
from 4am to 5 am. On the 21st it attained a force of 18 ½ lb when it began
gradually to moderate and by the evening had become nearly calm, still coming
round till it finally blow South West. The barometer continued to rise steadily
from 2 am by the evening it had nearly attained its usual height. From the course
followed by the wind it was inferred that the centre of the storm was passing a
little southward of Madras, and this agrees with the reports of the shipping
which stood out to sea in a South East direction, and met with worse weather
than what occurred on shore.33

The Nagapatanam Cyclone Of 1859

Another hurricane took place in April 23rd 1859, in the latitude of
Nagapatam. The damage in land was confined mainly to the breaching of the
river banks and the falling down of trees and dilapidated buildings. More than
30 vessels were wrecked between Tranquebar and point Calimere.34
At Tranquebar, the hurricane lasted for three days viz 23rd, 24th and 25th of April
1859. It prevailed in the latitude of Nagapatam; but its force diminished when it
passed inland. At sea the impact of hurricane was a lamentable loss of the life
and property in the reports of the collector Mr. W.M Cadwell who reported that

32 Jacob, “Notice of the late Storm of the 20th November 1856,in Scientific
Intelligence” ,Madras Journal : Literature and Science Vol.XVII.1856-57.Oct-Dec.
1856,No. 1. New series, p.115
33 Op.cit . C.D. Maclean ,Manuel of Madras Administration, p.283.
34 Report on the administration of the Madras Presidency, during the year 1859-60
p.p.113
 62

“the most serious disaster was the foundering of the British Braque Monarch with
200 coolies on board, it collided with another vessel and both came to shore,
nearly all the coolies being drowned”. 35

Cyclone of Karaikal and Pondicherry, 1863

The cyclone of 19th October 1863 struck at Pondicherry. Large number of
boats and vessals were lost. Karikal too was not spared this time.

Cyclone of Cuddalore, 1864

On 27th and 28th of November 1864, the Northern and Western part of the
district were visited with a heavy gale. The wind commenced from the N.E.
gradually veering round the N.W and then due west and so on to S.W, S. and
due east, having gone round the compass in about the space of 24 hours.
The wind blew with such violence and in gusts that the entire salt pans were
affected and the covering stone of the heaps were carried away, not withstanding
the heavy day. The storm was no doubt a cyclone. The centre of which could not
have been very distant. The post from Madras was delayed for three days
showing that the greatest strength of the storm must have been somewhere to the
north or north east probably of the places in the District which felt its influence
the most.36 In Cuddalore it blew very violently for some hours during the night
of the 27th and day of 28th and the rain was also at times very heavy.

Great Intensity Cyclone of 1865

A cyclonic storm of great intensity struck the Coromandel Coast on 25 th
November 1865 not sparing Pondicherry from its impact, Telegraph posts were
uprooted. In November 1865 Madras was visited by a heavy cyclone, which
proved very destructive to shipping. On the evening of 25th the vortex was
steering in for the land between Madras and Cuddalore, and the unfortunate
shipping with a N.N.E. gale and a heavy sea stood out and drafted into the more
violent portion of circle, and met with sever disaster. The effects of the storm
were not felt on shore at Madras to any great degrees. The barometer did not fall
lower than 290 – 600, and the velocity of the wind reached forty-three meter per

35 Op.cit., J.R. Hemmingway, Tanjore District Gazeetteer. Vol.I, p.151

36 Proceedings of Board of Revenue, dated, 12/1/1865, No. 231, 232.
 63

hour corresponding to a pressure of 9 ¼ lb to the square foot. 37 The total amount

of rainfall was 12.36 inches. The wind veered from N.N.E. to east and south east,
thus showing that Madras was placed on the right hand semicircle of the storm.
The vortex crossed at the south west of Madras.

Cyclone of Tinnevelley, November 1869

From 15th to 16th November 1869 cyclone caused disasters all over the
Tinnevelley District. It exceeded all its predecessors in devastation. Heavy rain
and floods commenced on the night of the 15th November 1869. At Palamcottah
rain set in on the night of the 15th and continued during the 16th; on the 17th the
Tambrapoornay had risen almost to the crown of the arches of the bridges, or to a
height of 26 feet. An unusual heavy rain especially from 16th to the 18th of
November occurred and several villages near the Tambrapoorney were being
flooded, and considerable damage was done to the channels, tanks and roads.
The cyclone of November 1869 had its impact at Tuticorin. At Tuticorin, the sea
rose to the level of the road, damaging it considerably, and the new lighthouse in
progress on Hare Island was completely destroyed.38 The loss of land revenue
alone was estimated at a rate of 6 lakhs. The fall of rain in twenty four hours was
recorded in Tinnevelly as seven inches. The rainfall in twenty four hours at
Dindigul was recorded as 5 inches39.

Cyclone of Tranquebar, 6th and 7th November 1871

The cyclone took place in the year 1871 on November 6th and 7th. It
commenced at about 6pm.on 6th and lasted till about 10 am on the 7th; but
apparently it was towards the intervening morning that it was most furious and
violent on the coast than in the interior and its centre was Tranquebar.. At
Mayaveram and Shiyali, it blew first from north and then veered to the south;
elsewhere it was observed to blow from SW to NW. At Kodianpalayam and
Tirumullavasel near the northern extremity of the district, the sea, raised by the
strong northerly wind, broke in on the shore and carried away a large number of
houses, causing the death of thirteen persons by drowning.

37 Marine Department, dated, 26/1/1866, G.O. 39-40.

38 Proceedings of the Public Works Department, dated,10/12/1869 ,No. 174, p.5530.
39 Marine Department, dated ,14/12/1869 ,G.O. 12-13.
 64

A storm and torrential rain simultaneously struck Pondicherry and Karaikal.

While the damage in Pondicherry was moderate, Karikal bore the brunt of its
attack. The Administrator’s office and the Hospital in Karikal were damaged. The
river Arasalar overflowed its banks and inundated the neighboring residential
areas. Many people lost their lives in the flood. Two boats loaded with
government salt sunk in the Vedarannyam canal a few miles south of
Nagapatnam. All traffic was stopped on five roads in Tindivanam and
Tiruvannamallai taluks for four days. 50 tanks were breached in these two
places.40

Triple Cyclone of Madras in 1872

The effects of 3 storms were felt at Madras and other eastern parts. The
first was a somewhat violent cyclone on the 5th and 6th of May, the heavy velocity
of the wind at Madras reaching an extreme limit of 49 miles. Stormy weather,
not cyclonic, was experienced on October 24th and 25th; and a moderate cyclone
swept the coast about December 12th. 41

The cyclone which visited the Coromandel coast on 30th April and 1st May
1872, a frightful cyclone visited the coast, strewing the shore with wrecks of vessals
of all sizes, and doing great damage to irrigation works in the surrounding
countries. The damage done to salt works and the salt manufacturing operation
was rather extensive. 42 On May 2nd, 1872 a cyclone visited Madras and destroyed
a great number of buildings, after a fall of 13.80 inches of rain. Several hundred
lives were lost in the inundation which resulted and one suburb was entirely
swept away. 43

The Destructive Storm of 1872

“It is an ill wind that blows no good”

The Chingleput district is peculiarly liable to cyclones, the months of May

and October being the usual periods of visitation. 15 disastrous cyclones have

40 Marine Department, dated,21/5/ 1872, G.O.22-29.

41 Op.cit. B.S.Baliga, Tanjore District Handbook, p.p.10, 151.
42 Report on the administration of the Madras Presidency, during the year 1874-75, Vol. 2
p. 498
43 Public Works Department, dated ,31/3/1882, G.O. No 182.
 65

been recorded between 1746 and 1846. The year 1872 was marked by the
occurrence of a most destructive storm of this kind. The town of Madras being
frequently touched by the centre of the storm, from the S.S. east, afterwards
assumed a West or West South Westerly direction. The area within which their
action was usually felt extended from 109 miles N to 120 miles south of Madras.44
They have from the earlier times caused great destruction for shipping strewing
the coasts with wrecks quenching the tanks, sweeping away villages and
inflicting the country with the most disastrous losses in cattle and other live
stock. The rainfall accompanying the cyclone averaged 6 inches.
In May 1872, the Salem district suffered from cyclones. It did much
damage to the crops, caused terrible mortality among cattle, and breached
several tanks. On this occasion the registered wind pressure, reached a
maximum of 53 lb. to the square foot. The shipping in the roads did not receive
sufficient warning to allow them to ship their cables and put to sea. In the space
of few hours 9 English ships were driven ashore.
A cyclone of unusual severity passed over the northern and Western taluk
of this district between the 4th and 7th May, causing great damage especially to
irrigation works, roads, bridges, houses, and cattle in the Tripatur Taluk. The
storm was the longest with the exception of the cyclone of May 1872, the most
violent.

Heavy Cyclone of Madras 1874

Madras was visited by a heavy cyclone on the 5th and 6th May 1874. The
storm was ushered in with a North West wind, which afterward veered to north,
north-east, and east as the storm passed to the southward of the port. The lowest
barometric pressure during the storm noted by the government astronomer was
29018’ and the greatest force of the wind at an hourly velocity of 49 miles was
accompanied by an unusually copious downfall of rain45.
Madras port was again visited by a cyclone in May1874. The cyclone
travelled oblique up the Bay of Bengal. Its influence being felt from the night of
3rd May until noon of the 6th instant. The strength of the wind during the height
of the storm from 8 p.m. of the 5th increased to 2 am of the 6th May, during which
it veered formed northward to the eastward. The appearance of the weather on
4th May 1872 was very suspicious and threatening. The warning signal was

44 Op.cit . C.D.Maclean ,Manuel of Madras Administration,p.123.

45 Revenue Department, dated, 29/5/1874,G.O. No. 665.
 66

hoisted in the evening and during the whole night communication was
constantly being passed by wire between the master attendants office and the
observatory, which resulted in not a doubt being entertained that a storm was
imminent.46 Many tanks were breached and much property was damaged. The
railway line was carried away in several places and a considerable portion of the
town of Vaniyambodi was swept away. A cyclone of unusual severity passed
over the northern and western taluks of this district between the 4th and 7th May
causing great damage, especially in the Tripatur taluk, to irrigation works, roads,
bridges, houses, and cattle. It was the longest cyclone. Supply of wood and
bamboos have been used for the purpose of reconstructing the houses which
have fallen 47

Cyclone of 1879
In the month of May and November 1879, cyclone occurred along the canal
line. A cyclone passed up the Bay on May 21st. On that day the wind velocity
reached 563 miles.48 The north-east monsoon set in on October 15th. The
November cyclone of 1879 occurred with great severity, extending along the
entire sea-board form Madras to Pedda Ganjam, and flooding the whole country
in the neighborhood of the canal.49

Disaster of 1880
A wind set in fresh from north, by west in the very early morning of 21st
November 1880. It freshened to a stiff breeze by noon and blew such a strong
gale at night between 7 and 8 pm. That was completed and then the wind
returned very strong from south for about an hour, lessened by degrees and
subsided towards midnight. It rained heavily every day till the 8th of December.
The cyclone inflicted much damage at the time when cultivation was for
advanced. On the 21st November 1880 a cyclonic storm passed on the district
from south - east to north-west and expanded itself to Kalrayan hills, causing
such a flood in the Vellar as has never yet been exceeded. Floods in the Coleroon

46 Report on the administration of the Madras Presidency, during the year (1874-75) Vol. 2.
P.212.
47 Ibid.p.p.212-213.
48 Board of Revenue proceedings, dated, 26/11/ 1880, No. 1,805, p.8052.
49 Report on the administration of the Madras Presidency, during the year 1879-80, p.322.
 67

had caused the Vadavur channel to breach in many places, and the country from
the Lalpet weirs to Mannargudi was one sheet of running water. The channels
from the Tirukkoyilur anicut on the Ponnaiyur were also breached and the total
bill for the damage in the district due to this flood came to Rs. 2,12,000.50

The cyclone of l2th Nov 1881 has been described by Mr. Pogson, the Govt.
Astronomer, as “ having exhausted its greatest force while crossing the Bay
before reaching the coast of southern India, which would account for the high
destructive sea for beyond what might have been expected from the
meteorological indications accompanying its progress. The centre of the storm
must have struck the coast considerably southwards of Madras.”

The veering of the wind was as usual for cyclone southward of Madras.
The result of this cyclone was the wreck of the faces and elbow of the north and
south piers of Madras Harbour, the wreck being more complete of the elbows
than on the faces whilst the sides remained practically uninjured.

Mr. Parkes report of 9th March 1882, runs as follows:

“the testimony of all observers is to the effect that the sea of the 12 th
November must rank with these of the great historical cyclones, though
there is a conflict of evidence as to whether it was actually as heavy or
“heavier” and then he goes on to quote his authority Mr. Chisholm, who
says speaks confidently as to the recent sea being considerably heavier
than that of 1872”..51

Mr. Parkes reports of his note of the 13th march 1882. “doubtless the sea
was much heavier than might have been expected from the comparatively low
recorded wind pressure at Madras, as also from other phenomena connected
with the storm. Many high authorities would be unprepared to accept the
cyclone of the 12th Nov. as affording a sufficiently crucial test of the forces which
may be expected to be called into action in a cyclone of maximum intensity”. 52

The direction of the heavy sea at about east by north also clearly proves
the centre to have been always to southward of the place. The strength of wind

50 Op.cit.J.R, Hemmingway, Tanjore District Gazeetteer, p.10

51 Public Works Department, dated ,24/4/ 1882, G.O.No.1008 w,
52 Proceedings of the Public Works Department dated, 4/4/ 1882, No. 2682, p. 144.
 68

registered by the anemometer was 32 miles an hour, or a moderate gale of wind

as compared with 53 miles in the gale of 1872. 53
The sea was getting up during the night of the 11th November and the
principal damage took place before noon of the 12th, but the greatest barometric
depression, showing the nearest approach of the centre, was about 2 pm and the
wind increased up to about 2 in the morning of the 13 th, after which it rapidly
decreased.
The storm was doubtlessly very severe out in the Bay, but there is no
record at Madras of its having been actually encountered by any vessel. There is
every reason to fear that the streams Lockyer from Calcutta foundered in this
cyclone. It appears not to have been of large diameter and evidently decreased in
intensity on approaching the coast, but the sea, originating on the advancing
north side of the centre of the cyclone, and propelled by it on to the harbour
works was there is no doubt, very high, and of destructive violence.

The Adirampatnam Cyclone of 16 October 1884

On the night of the 16th October, a cyclone appears to have struck the coast
near Adirampatnam. The wind continued to blow with much fancy from the
N.N.W until about 8 am On the 17th, when there was a usual lull, followed by a
renewal of the storm from the opposite quarter. There was a heavy rain in all
parts of the district, ranging from 19.83 inches at Kodaikanal, where the
vehemence of the hurricane was most felt up to 2.17 inches at Palni. It appears
that the centre of the cyclone must have passed right access the Ponneri taluk,
which it struck somewhere about Pulicat.54 Pulicat appears to have been the
most severely visited spot in the taluk, and the wind, which lasted there for
nearly twelve hours continued an hour or two longer. Almost the entire town
would have been inundated by the sea and swept away. As it was the sea wave
rose to a height of 12 ½ feet above its ordinary level and increased 260 yards
beyond its usual limit. The storms which are occasionally met during December
in the southern half of the Bay affect the weather on the coast between
Negapatnam and Bimlipatam, for instance there was a severe cyclonic storm
which struck the coast near Negapatanam between 12th and 19th December 1884.

53 Public works Department, dated, 23/3/ 1882, G.O. No. 780 W.

54 Report on the administration of the Madras Presidency, during the year1884-85 p.32
 69

The Triple Storms of 1886

Madras was visited by three cyclones during the year. The first burst on
Madras on the 23rd May 1886 which was a moderate one. The vortex passed
between Negapatnam and Pondicherry, Madras being on its outer verge. It was
strongest between 3 pm and 4 pm, when the wind was north and by east and the
hourly velocity was 24 miles.
The second cyclone occurred on the 9th November 1886. Cyclone of 2nd to
16th November 1886, crossed the Madras coast, and, so far as can be judged by the
observations, passed out into the Arabian Sea, and advanced by a curved path to
the Baluchistan coast. It commenced to be felt on the evening of the 8 th, when the
wind was N.W. it veered to W.N.W. at 8 am. On the following day, 9th
November, at 11 am it was W.S.W; and at noon, when it had attained its full
force, it was S.W by W. The velocity was 45 miles an hour. The centre of the
storm passed north of Madras and midway between the latitudes of the
Armeghon and Pulicat lighthouses.
The Third was small cyclonic storm which took place on the 9th December
and passed northward of Madras. Storm of 12th and 19th 1886, struck the
Coromandal Coast near Madras. The Coast between Madras and Bimlipatam is
not so likely to have affected on December.55

Madras Cyclone of 8th October 1887

Storm of 8th to 14th October 1887 crossed the coast near Madras, and
recurred in the Peninsula first to North and then to North East, and broke up in
the North West Provinces. Madras was during the year visited by only one
cyclone and that was a very moderate one. It burst on the night of the 8 th Oct
1887 and continued till daylight of the following day. The vortex of this storm
was reckoned to have reached the shore to the southward of Madras between
6.30 and 7 am on the latter date, and at a distance of not more than 18 miles from
Madras. From information received from the west coast, it was ascertained that
it came on the Madras coast with very great rapidity, and travelled right across
the peninsula in a westerly direction passing on to the Arabian Sea to the
northward of Mangalore at a velocity of 32 miles an hour. 56

55 Report on the administration of the Madras Presidency, during the year 1886 – 87. P. 64.
56 Report on the administration of the Madras Presidency, during the year, 1887-88 p. 190,
17,58-59
 70

Four Cyclones of 1888

In the year 1888 Madras was affected by four cyclones. The North East
monsoon rain was unusually heavy, especially about the end of October.
A considerable cyclone passed over Madras and Chengleput and a portion of the
North Arcot District on October 31st, on that day the rain was 9.2 inches and the
daily velocity of the wind was 66 miles. A second storm, with its centre
southward of Madras, also brought strong wind and considerable rain about
December 13th. 57
Account of the weather was furnished by the port officer is as follows:
“The weather on the morning of 30th was unsettled, but the barometer was steady
and did not, at that time, indicate the approach of a storm. At noon the wind
began to increase in force, and at 8 pm, the barometer began to be felt at first very
slowly the weather became more unsettled during the night, with constant rain.
The wind had now shifted to North West and increased steadily in force. At noon
of the 31st the weather was very stormy, and the barometer began to fall rather
rapidly, the wind remained steady at north-west, and the squalls became more
violent and were extremely severe between 6 pm and 9 pm. There was a lull of
half an hour from about 9.30 pm to 10 pm and almost immediately after 10pm the
wind began to come from east. The lowest reading of the barometer was taken
very shortly after at 10.30 pm. The wind now blew for some time in furious gusts
from the east and then shifted to south–south–east, at which it remained for some
hours.58. It rained continuously for 49 hours from about 10a.m of the 31st, when
the centre was probably nearly 150 miles distant, until 1 am of the 1st November.
The rapid fall of the barometer which coincided with the period of frequent
furious squalls of wind lasted from 6 pm, (when the distance of the centre was
probably about 40 miles), to about 2 am. The outer storm area was from 200 to
250 miles in diameter from east to west and the inner storm area 80 to 90 miles in
diameter. Cyclone of 19th to 27th 1889 December crossed the Madras coast and
broke up in South India. 59

57 Report on the administration of the Madras Presidency, during the year 1888-89 p.p
194.,123
58 Report of the Native Passengers ship commission in Nov. 1890, Calcutta 1891. p.
XXXIII.
59 J. Eliot, Cyclone memoirs ,part – III Bay of Bengal Cyclone of Sep.13-20 and Oct 27-
31st 1888 and Arabian sea cyclone Nov. 6th – 9th 1888. p.p.210,211
 71

Last Cyclone of the Century, Nagapattanam Cyclone of 1899

A heavy cyclone passed over the Nagapattanam division on 12th
November 1899. The wind was exceptionally high and some damage to
buildings.60 The port of Nagapatnam was visited by the most severe hurricane
that had occurred for many years. It came almost without any warning. The
previous day weather was quit fine, though in the afternoon the sea got up rather
high, and after sun was down there was rather a lurid appearance in the sky,
neither of which are uncommon at this time of year. A great deal of damage was
done by a cyclone. The barometer was steady, reading 29.92 at 4pm with the
wind at north. About 4 am as the weather appeared to be getting bad.
At 7 am, the barometer reading was 29.89, wind westerly, increasing with driving
rain at 8.30 and the barometer had fallen to 29.32. Wind increased to strong
gale61. This lasted from 7 am till 4 pm. It was at its worst at midday, when most
of the damage was done.

Three classes of cyclones

The storms may be divided into three distinct classes, and generally
accepted theory of revolving storms or cyclone identifies these classes as those in
which the center of the storm passes respectively over Madras, or South, or North
of it.62 24.24 % of the cyclones belong to first class, 48.5% of the cyclones belong to
second class, 27.3% of the cyclones belong to third class.63

First Class – Central

In these cases, the wind commenced at or near north blew for some hours
with great force, then there was a lull of half an hour or less, and then it blew
again with equal violence from the south. Storms of the first class occurred in
October 1797, May 1811, October 1818, and October 1836, May 1874, November
1881, November 1886, October 1887, October 1888.

60 Administrative report of the P.W.D [General building and road branch, Madras
Presidency for the year 1892-1893 p.27
61 Marine Department, dated 4/12/1899, G.O.No 1060.
62 N.Jayanthi and A.K Sen Sarma; “A catalogue of storm surges in India”
Republished Scientific Report NO.86/1, Regional Meteorological Centre, Madras,
1986.
63 Appendix
 72

Second Class - Center South of Madras

In these cases, the wind rose at about north, then gradually increasing in
force it veered towards east maintaining force. After passing east it gradually
fell, and by the time it arrived at south it was either very light or merged in the
ordinary periodical wind. Storms of the second class, center south of Madras
occurred in December 1807, November 1846, November 1818, May 1850,
November 1864, November 1865 and May 1872, October 1884, November 1880,
May 1886, May 1888, December 1888, November 1888, November 1896,
November 1899, and November 1836

Third Class: Center North of Madras

In these case the storm kept rapidly shifting about with apparent
irregularity through the western half of the compass, never during the height of
the storm being in the eastern half, except on one remarkable occasion of
October1846 and perhaps one or two other of the earlier ones, when it made a
rapid circuit of the whole compass round by west, north, east and south. Storms
of the third class, center north to Madras, occurred in March 1820, May 1827, May
1841, May 1843, October 1846, May 1851, November 1879, November 1885,
December 1886. In each of these seven cases the same course was followed. In
these cases the courses of the wind was much less regular then in the two
preceding classes.

There were 34 cyclones which struck in the Coromandel coast of

Tamilnadu from 1801-1900. In the year 1846 and 1848, Tamil Nadu was affected
by two cyclones. Four cyclones struck Madras in the year 1888. Among the 34
cyclones, the cyclone of 1818, cyclone of 1836, the cyclone of 1846, the cyclone of
1872, the cyclone of 1881, cyclone of 1888 were very severe. It would thus appear
that Madras is subjected to severe hurricane about fifteen times in a century, or
once every six or seven years. The effects of the cyclone of 1881 were most
disastrous to the new harbour works.
 73

TABLE: 4 LIST OF VULNERABLE DISTRICTS FOR CYCLONE WIND AND

COASTAL/INLAND FLOODING
Sl. No District Wind and Coastal and No. of Cyclone
cyclone inland flooding (1800-1900)
1 Madras VH FLZ 15
2 Podicherry VH FLZ 7
3 Tanjore VH FLZ 2
4 Cuddalore VH FLZ 2
5 Kanjeepuram VH -
6 Thiruvallur VH -
7 Thiruvanamalli VH -
8 Villupuram VH -
9 Ramanathapuram VH -
10 Nagapattanam VH FLZ 6
11 Pudukottai H -
12 Sivaganga H -
13 Thuthukoodi VH FLZ
14 Thirunelveli VH - 1
15 Kanyakumari H -
Legend: M – Medium; H – High; VH – Very High; FLZ – Flood Zone
(Source: HPC Report, UNDP and NIDM)

Topography also plays an important role in the occurrence or impact of

storm tide or tropical cyclone. The onshore impact of storm tide is limited to
lower lying coastal areas. Similarly, the shape of the ocean floor and coastal
topography play a large role in the behaviour and onshore impact of tropical
cyclone. The wind speed from tropical cyclones or severe storms increases in
areas of high relief.

One of the major reasons for this is the serious storm tide problem in these
coasts. A tropical cyclone of specific intensity when it strikes the east coast of
India and Bangladesh, usually produces a higher storm surge compared to that
when such a cyclone strikes elsewhere in the world. This is because of the special
nature of the coastline, the shallow coastal ocean topography and the
characteristics of tide in the Bay of Bengal region. Further the high density of
population, low awareness of the community about cyclones and their risks,
inadequate response and preparedness add to the severity of the problem.

While the past can be used as an indicator of what may happen in the
future, disasters will happen in areas where there is no memory or experience of
them. This may be because the hazard has never arisen in the area before.
 74

The east coast of India is more prone to natural hazards like cyclones,
storm surges and now the new hazard in the form of tsunamis, in comparison to
the west coast. The Eastern Continental Margin of India as a passive margin
evolved during the process of break-up of Eastern Gondwanaland during late
Cretaceous. In the pre-breakup scenario, the present Krishna–Godavari basin was
conjugate with the Enderby land of East Antarctica11. Most rivers in the
peninsular part of India flowing over southeastern and eastern slope discharge
into the Bay of Bengal, which results in a mosaic of basinal and non-basinal
morphology. Shallow bays associated with the basinal areas are more affected by
the crossing of cyclones and storm surges, due to the wider shelf with gentle
slope. One of the important parameters to be considered in the context of
cyclones/storm surges is the seabed morphology, including the shelf/slope
characteristic of the margin. 64

A study of the origin of rains in the months of October-November along

the Coromandel Coast has shown that they are caused by tropical disturbances
and depressions which develop in the Bay of Bengal. These atmospheric
depressions are almost always followed by cyclonic storms of great velocity
ripping across the sub-continental land mass. Naturally therefore, the coast must
have been subjected to the ravages of cyclones from ages unknown. Violent
storms visit the coast frequently and the recorded loss of lives and shipping on
the seaboard of this district is very great. 1808, 1820, 1831, 1840, 1842, 1853, 1870,
1871, 1880, 1882 were the violent storms causing a serious loss of shipping and
created great injury on shore swept some of the Districts in the coast. Several
reasons were attributed to the unusual surge in this part of the Tamil Nadu
margin, the main reason being its relative proximity to the origin of the event,
apart from the concave nature of the shelf with a gentle gradient. The structure of
the underlying basement, the morphology and the land–ocean tectonics are the
main guiding factors for the run-up heights in case of the Nagapattinam–
Cuddalore shelf. The fault controlled basement structure, and a straight coastline
with narrow and gentle shelf have helped in rapid transgression of the surge
inundating the coastal area.

64 K. S. R. Murthy, A. S. Subrahmanyam, S. Lakshminarayana, D. Chandrasekhar,

and T.C.S. Rao, “Some geodynamic aspects of Krishna–Godavari basin, east coast
of India” Continent. 1995, p.p. 779–788.