On Nov 12, 1970, a storm of such diabolical force hit the coastline of East Pakistan, present-day Bangladesh, that the World Meteorological Organisation would later declare it the world's deadliest tropical cyclone.
The devastation that ensued triggered a civil war and ultimately led to external military intervention and the final metamorphosis of East Pakistan into Bangladesh. It was a dramatic example of the ways in which shock mobility can lead to profound political and social disruption and change the course of history.
Cyclone Bhola caused an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 fatalities, mostly the result of a huge storm surge overwhelming the low-lying islands and tidal flats along the shores of the Bay of Bengal.
