great hurricane great hurricane known great hurricane antilles disaster deadliest atlantic hurricane record people died lesser antilles storm passed october hurricane track strength unknown official atlantic hurricane database goes hurricane struck barbados winds possibly exceeding mph moving past martinique thousands deaths reported islands coming midst american revolution storm caused heavy losses british french fleets control area hurricane later passed near puerto_rico eastern portion hispaniola caused heavy damage near coastlines ultimately turned northeast observed october southeast atlantic_canada death toll great hurricane exceeds entire decades atlantic hurricanes estimates marginally higher hurricane second deadliest atlantic storm figures likely accurate hurricane disastrous atlantic hurricane season deadly storms occurring october meteorological history exact origin hurricane unknown probably developed hurricanes east atlantic_ocean early october system strengthened expanded tracked slowly westward began affecting barbados late october late october worst hurricane passed island early october hurricane turned north northwest kilometres east later night neared island martinique cyclone gradually weakened passed southwest early october subsequently struck island guadeloupe hitting guadeloupe hurricane turned west northwest passing kilometres southwest hurricane steadily neared puerto_rico paralleled southern coastline october closest point approach southwest portion island subsequently turned northwest hitting island passage making landfall near present day dominican_republic province late october reached atlantic_ocean passing kilometres east estimated northeast hurricane passed kilometres southeast bermuda october observed days later kilometres southeast newfoundland canada october strong winds high tides reported british province east florida northeastern portion present day florida modern historian suggests hurricane passed closer province previously thought possibility considered extension hurricane western caribbean_sea lack data exact track great hurricane unknown impact great hurricane began affecting barbados rain late october northwesterly winds increased day october hurricane began rage great fury noon continue great violence till clock morning 11th clock night demolished church rector family shelter began fall hours chancel fell family church chapel michael christ church churches totally destroyed churches severely injured demolition parish church chapel divine services continued boiling house rock hall estate buildings works blown lives lost dead brought church buried gardens private land ships bay broke impact arrived wind gradually backed westerly night peaked midnight wind speed returned normal october winds suggest eye storm passed north barbados hurricane produced violent winds people hear voices hurricane stripped bark trees left standing island strongest hurricanes strip bark trees cuban estimated phenomenon require rain winds miles hour winds destroyed house barbados hurricane destroyed forts island according british admiral 1st baron winds carried heavy cannons aloft feet people died barbados hurricane destroyed houses dutch ships wrecked rough waves strong storm tide struck fleet british admiral ship destroying city hospital lifted hurricane destroyed houses port island perished ships lost fleet frigates wrecked cuban coast disappeared trace sixth rate frigates wrecked martinique heavy loss life smaller vessels wrecked far worst losses british fleet squadron rear admiral caught sea hurricane coast ships line hands smashed coast fewer survivors lost remaining ships severely damaged fleet french ships involved american revolutionary war capsized result hurricane martinique soldiers drowned french losses ships line frigate hurricane produced foot storm surge martinique destroying houses died island high winds rains storm surge caused severe damage storm surge struck south coast guadeloupe caused considerable damage strong winds affected antigua island ships washed ashore dutch sea officer ship blown martinique hurricane reports damage martinique return reports houses destroyed sea water ruined merchandise left beach says situation bad french english islands speak dramatic death toll heavy damage reported southern puerto_rico primarily cabo severe damage occurred eastern region santo domingo hurricane later grounded ships near bermuda path hurricane killed people possibly high making deadliest hurricane atlantic hurricane history
Great Hurricane of 1780