The Bangladesh Cyclone of 1991: Why So Many People Died

TLDR

Bangladesh routinely faces natural disasters, and on 29 April 1991 a severe cyclone with 30‑foot surges struck its coast for several hours. The article documents Bangladesh’s improved disaster‑coping capacity and offers recommendations for future resilience. Post‑cyclone studies employing epidemiological and anthropological methods examined the cyclone’s impact. The cyclone killed more than 67,000 people—especially women, children, the elderly and the disadvantaged—while shelters reduced deaths by at least 20 %.

Abstract

Living with natural disasters has become a way of life in Bangladesh. On the night of 29 April 1991 a severe cyclonic storm, accompanied by tidal surges up to 30 feet high, battered the coastal areas of Bangladesh for 3–4 hours. Thousands of people were killed and property worth billions of dollars was destroyed. After the cyclone, several studies, using epidemiological and anthropological methods, looked at the impact of the cyclone. It was estimated that over 67,000 people lost their lives. Women, children and the elderly were much more at risk and so were those from the socio‐economically disadvantaged section of the population. Cyclone shelters were few in relation to need but proved very helpful in saving lives. At least 20 per cent more deaths would have occurred in the absence of these shelters. The article documents impressive improvements in Bangladesh's‐ability to cope and makes recommendations for the future.