land during the night. A few lives were lost in the neighbourhood of Coringa, innumerable trees were blown down, the paddy was ruined, the springs of fresh-water were spoiled and quantities of salt were deposited upon the flooded ground.1[1]
The next inundation which occurred was that of May 20, 1787. This was so extraordinary in its violence that it was commonly supposed to have been due to an earthquake, but Mr. Topping 2[2] ascribed it firstly to a 'violent and long-continued gale 3[3] from the North-East at a time when the South-West Monsoon should prevail, and had actually set in many weeks previous to it, checking the Northerly current and forcing the waters back upon the coast'; secondly to 'the configuration of the coast itself, peculiarly favourable to such an accident at such a crisis,'in particular 'the sudden projection of Point Gardewar (Gódávari) and the situation of Coringa in the recess or cul-de-sac of a bay'; and finally to the fact that the inundation occurred at the spring tides of the new moon. 'In short there happened at that fatal juncture a union of almost every cause that could have a tendency to elevate the waters of the Sea.'
Pitiable details of the havoc wrought by this hurricane and flood are to be found in the correspondence from the then Chief and Council of Masulipatam.4[4] Coringa island and the country near Injaram were flooded, and so was Narasapur. The hurricane raged with increasing violence from the l6th of May onwards. On the 20th 'about ten in the morning,' writes the Resident of Injaram on the 22nd and 23rd May; —
'The sea rushed in upon us and inundated everything. On the morning of the 21st everything was desolation. The whole town of Coringa and all the little villages about, with the inhabitants, (were) carried away. Nellapillee is in not much better state. As yet I cannot ascertain what loss the Hon'ble Company may have sustained; but I suppose it is in proportion to the loss of individuals, which in fact amounts to everything we possessed. . ... . . The poor black people are now running up and down crying and lamenting the loss of relations from the inundation. The springs and wells all around are choked with salt water, and we have only to depend on the heavens for a supplv of fresh water. Cattle, grain and everything carried away. . . I now request in the most earnest manner that you will with the utmost despatch send to this place by dónis or any other sea conveyance what quantity of grain you may be able to collect.
