Cyclone in History: 15 December 1965 became such a dark day for the then East Pakistan (present Bangladesh). The glimpse of its pain is still visible on the faces of the people here. On this day, a very powerful cyclonic storm originating from the Bay of Bengal hit the coastal areas of Cox’s Bazar and Patuakhali. More than 15 thousand people lost their lives in this storm. There was a lot of loss of money also.
This severe cyclone, which came at a speed of 210 kilometers per hour, took the lives of 15 thousand people. Strong winds, torrential rains and high sea waves had completely engulfed the coastal areas. At that time, due to lack of modern weather forecasting system and disaster management, people could not reach safe places in time, due to which the disaster became even more frightening.
Where was the outcry?
The cyclone wreaked maximum havoc in the areas around Cox’s Bazar and Patuakhali. The high tidal waves rising in the sea entered the villages. Raw houses, huts and fields were submerged in water in no time. It was as if the existence of many villages was erased.
How many lives were lost?
According to government and non-government figures, about 15,000 people died in the cyclone, while some official reports put the directly recorded death toll at 873. Experts believe the actual figure may be much higher due to limitations in communication and recording.
huge loss to salt industry
This cyclone not only took away human lives but also deeply hurt the local economy. Cox’s Bazar area was known for salt production at that time. Due to the storm, about 40,000 salt reserves were completely destroyed. Due to inundation of sea water and heavy rains, salt flats were washed away, threatening the livelihood of thousands of families. Workers and farmers dependent on the salt industry struggled with unemployment and poverty for a long time. At that time the government had limited resources for rehabilitation, which made the situation more serious.
Lack of disaster management became a major reason
In 1965 there was neither satellite surveillance nor effective early warning systems. Information about the cyclone was received very late and there was no organized system to take people to safe places. Strong cyclone shelters were almost non-existent in the coastal areas. Experts believe that if there had been timely warning and evacuation, thousands of lives could have been saved.
Lesson learned from history
This cyclone of 1965 proved to be a big lesson for Bangladesh and the entire South Asia in later years. After this, gradually cyclone shelters were built in the coastal areas, the meteorological department was strengthened and work on disaster management strategies started.
conclusion
The cyclonic storm of 15 December 1965 was not just a natural disaster, but it was a tragedy recorded in human history, which uprooted thousands of families. The devastation in Cox’s Bazar and Patuakhali taught us how important it is to have vigilance, strong infrastructure and effective warning systems before disaster strikes.
Some cyclonic storms and their effects from 1965 to 1966 from social media sources
- Cyclone of December 1965: A cyclone hit the country on December 15, 1965. The wind speed was about 217 km per hour and the storm waves were 2.3-3.6 meters high. In this, 873 (according to government figures) people lost their lives.
- Cyclone of October 1966: The cyclone hit the coastal area on October 1, 1966. The wind speed was about 139 km per hour. The waves of the storm were 6-7 meters high. About 850 people died in the cyclone.
- Barisal Cyclone (May 11, 1965): At least 19,279 people were killed in the cyclone that hit coastal areas. Of those who died, 16,456 were in Barisal. The wind speed of the cyclone was about 160 km per hour. Along with this, storm waves 3.7-7.6 meters high were also raised.
