Verbatim Accounts of the 16 June 1819 Gujarat Earthquake
Rann of Kachchh, India (The Allah Bund earthquake)
from Appendix to Bilham (1998) with additional materials
Government Documents and Newspaper reports 1819
Phil. Mag. distant felt reports 1820
The following extracts are transcribed from approximately 50 pages of handwritten minutes and letters, sent to and from the Governer's Office in Bombay, concerning the 16 June 1819 Kachchh earthquake in the days following the event. Captain James MacMurdo was the British representative (Resident) in Kachchh, and in addition to these goverrnment reports, he subsequently submitted a collection of papers describing the earthquake to the Literary Society of Bombay. These were published posthumously in Volume 3 (1823). MacMurdo died from cholera at the age of 33 and an obiturary appears in the same volume. Papers based on his early rtravels continued to surface for the next few decades and a brief history of his short career is summarized in Gosh (1977). Unlike Burnes and Baker who describe crustal deformation near Sindri 7 and 35 years respectively after the event, MacMurdo knew the area intimately before the earthquake and although he experienced the earthquake at first hand, he did so on the Kachchh mainland, and at the time these letters were written was unaware of deformation near Sindri.
The data describe severe damage in Bhooj and Anjar (Mercalli Intensity X), and hint at similar damage in many villages of Kachchh. Shaking at Ahmedabad and Surat is less severe (Perhaps intensity 7) and was reported directly to Bombay. In Bombay the event was scarcely felt although it was felt in Nepal and near Madras.
From Boards Collections 15426 to 15427 1820-1821
Volume 620 RECORD DEPARTMENT INDIA OFFICE LIBRARY. F/4/620
BOMBAY PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS, Exams Office Nov. 1820
Note: These documents are transcribed from hand written entries into the court proceedings archived in the India Office Library in London.
Bombay 7 July 1819
Extract Public Letters from Bombay to East India House, London.
Dated 7 July 1819
2. We are concerned to report to your Honorable Court that about
twenty minutes past seven in the evening of the 16th last month,
a slight shock of an earthquake was very perceptibly felt in various
parts of the Island. The shock did not last above a minute and
no injury appears to have been sustained from its effects, indeed
the concussion was so slight that many persons did not notice
it, and entertained doubts of it having taken place, but your
Honorable Court will observe with regret from the enclosed documents
that its consequences were very severely felt at the Northern
Stations under this government, particularly at Ahmedabad and
also in Cutch. At the former it has destroyed the beautiful shaking
minarets of the Imra Musjed which were so long the ornament and
admiration of the East, and done considerable damage to other
Public and Private Buildings.
3. At Anjar the Fort wall with its towers and Guns have been levelled
to the ground with three fourths of the houses in the Town, those
which have been left standing have also sustained injury and the
general destruction is emphatically stated by the resident to
have reduced a flourishing population in one moment to wretchedness
and misery. The lives lost on this occasion, as far as they could
be correctly ascertained at the date of Captain McMurdo's dispatch
amount to upwards of one hundred.
4. Similar damages have been done at Bhooj and we fear with an
equal loss in human life.
5. We have still to learn the extent of this awful visitation,
but private letters from all parts of Guzerat and Kattywar concur
in stating it to have been felt with great severity through the
country.
6. Since the preceding paragraphs were written we have been furnished
with copies of private letters from Lt. Col. Colin Milnes of his
Majesty's 65th Regiment and commanding the troops in Cutch which
together with the accounts given in the Bombay Gazette of this
date convey a most lamentable picture of the effects of the Earthquake.
Bombay 8 July 1819
Public Department
To Joseph Dart esq. Secretary at the East India House, London.
Sir,
In reference to the 5th paragraph of the letter from this government
to the Honorable the Court of Directors of yesterday's date which
has been closed and sent on the Lady Barringdon, I am directed
by the Right Honourable the Governor in Council to transmit to
you for information of the Honorable Court the accompanying copy
of one from the Resident at Anjar dated the 19th Ultimo detailing
the particulars of the injury sustained at that place and its
vicinity from the earthquake with which they were visited on the
16th of last month and the three following days.
I have the honor to be Sir, Your obedient Servant, signed
H Newnham. Acting Chief Secretary., Bombay Castle 8 July 1819
Ahmedabad 7 July 1819
Extract Bombay Public Consultations
Read the following letter from the acting judge and Criminal Judge
at Ahmedabad to Mr. Acting Secretary Newnham, dated the 17th Ultimo.
Sir,
para.1 Yesterday afternoon at 7 o'clock precisely a very severe
shock of an earthquake was felt in this city, the swell came from
the direction of South West, there are various opinions as to
the time the shock lasted. I think it continued about two minutes.
2. Happily no lives have been lost, but the damage which has been
done has been considerable. The Minarets of the Juma Musjid, the
highest and most beautiful in the place were thrown down, various
other Minarets outside the walls have shared the same fate, and
many of the Mosques have been otherwise shattered and much injured.
One of the gates of the town has also fallen. Of the Government
buildings the Adawlut, has alone been affected. None of the walls
have actually fallen , but they have been cracked by the shock
in several places, and it will be necessary therefore to request
the engineer office at this place to inspect them.
3. Several private houses have I understand been destroyed but
I am not yet acquainted with the particulars on this lead. I shall
make enquiry concerning the damage this sustained. If it shall
be found to be very heavy on a consideration of the circumstances
in life of those by whom it has been sustained, the liberality
of Government will not fail, I should hope, to afford some alleviation
of their misfortune.
4. During the confusion occasioned by the shock, a prisoner who
was in confinement for security escaped from the Gaol, the Sepoys
on guard had all left the gate in the moment of alarm and he took
this opportunity to pass out unobserved.
5. Several shocks have certainly been felt in the night and again
very sensibly this morning.
I have the honour to be etc.
Chas. Norris
Acting Judge and Criminal judge, Ahmedabad Adawlut 1819.
Minutes 1 July: Ordered that Mr. Norris be informed that the
governor in Council has great satisfaction in learning that no
lives have been lost on the occasion of the earthquake felt at
Ahmedabad on the 16th of last month, the effects of which were
also felt at this place though in a trifling degree.
Resolved that Mr. Norris be informed that the Governor in Council
approves of his having called on the Engineers office to examine
the damage which the Adawlut has sustained, and to make any temporary
repairs that the circumstances may render necessary. Mr. Norris
will however be careful not to incur any considerable expense
without previously submitting an estimate and obtaining the sanction
of the government.
On the receipt of the further report on the damage sustained by
private houses, he will be furnished with the instructions of
the government on any suggestions that he may deem worthy of notice.
Read the following letter from the Superintendent of the Marine
dated 24th. ultimo with enclosure.
To The Right Honorable Sir Evan Nepean, President and Governor
in Council
Right Honorable Sir, Having received a communication from Captain
J. Pruen the Commodore at Surat, under date 17th instant, reporting
the circumstances which had come within his observation on the
awful occasion of an Earthquake with which Surat and its vicinity
had been visited, and the matter recorded in Captain Pruen's letter
may not have come to the knowledge of the Right Honorable the
Governor in Council, I have deemed it expeditions to transmit
copy thereof for the information of your honorable board.
Henry Meriton, Superintendents Office Bombay 24 June 1819
Surat 17 June 1819
To Henry Meriton Esq., Superintendents Office Bombay 17 June
1819
I have the honor to inform you at 20 before 8 PM yesterday evening
the City of Surat and for some miles round and the opposite bank
of the Taply, were visited by that Phenomenon Earthquake in a
very awful degree. Wen it first began I was lying down on my Couch,
being still an Invalid. I found the whole house in serious agitation.
The furniture all in motion and a small table close to me so much
so as to keep striking the wall the lamp moving from east to west
with the house about 6 or 8 inches each way. I got down stair
as fast as possible about three minutes had transpired before
I got out of the house, and I felt myself a little giddy. I found
a number of people collected outside looking with astonishment
at my house, which stands alone, and which was in such agitation
I expected it to fall every second. The earth under our feet was
by this time convulsed and seemed as if it was floating on a long
ground swell trying to break it away through, and from its very
great motion I expected to see the ground crack. The shock lasted
about 5 or 6 minutes and appeared to me to run from East to West.
The inhabitants were much alarmed. Not a breath of wind was moving,
with a clear sky, nor was there the least warning of its approach.
On enquiry this morning I find several accidents have happened
to houses, and at the village of Omer about 2 miles west, several
Houses fell down. A Parsee Pagoda fell down in one side, and reports
said one poor man was killed 10 minutes past 10 AM. We have just
had another shock that lasted only one minute. I likewise felt
two slight ones about 8:30 last night and at 10:10 am another
shock. This shock stopped my watch, the glasses containing the
oil in the lamp in two or three houses were upset. The well in
the Jail whose water was about four feet below the earth was forced
up to run over. The river water was likewise much agitated. A
tank of water in the Bazar likewise threw its water out. Time
alone will inform us whether it will be a partial convulsion of
nature in the bowels of the Earth near this latitude caused by
some great eruption at a far distant spot.
I have felt it part of my duty to give you Sir, this slight information,
but no doubt a more able pen, will give it Government. I have
only related plain and simple facts for your information
I have the honour to be etc.
J. Pruen
Surat 17 June 1819.
P.S. I find that General Cook's watch stopped at 10:08 this morning.
Minutes: Ordered the Superintendent be informed that from the
violence of the shocks and their long continuance it is fortunate
so little damage has been sustained from the earthquake felt at
Surat on the 16th Ultimo. Read the following letter from the Resident
at Bhooj and Collector at Anjar to Mr. Acting Secretary Newnham
dated the 17th Ultimo.
from MacMurdo, Anjar 17 June 1819
Sir, It is with sincere regret that I have to inform you that
this place was visited by an earthquake yesterday evening at 10
minutes before 7 O'clock. The effects of the shock, which lasted
nearly 2 minutes, have been the leveling of the Fort Wall to the
ground. Not a hundred yards of the wall remain in any one spot,
and guns, towers etc. are all hurled in one mass of ruin.
The destruction in the town has been distressing and awful. Not
1/4 of the houses are standing and those that do remain are all
ruined. I cannot yet state the particulars of the losses, but
I may in one word say that a flourishing population has been reduced
in one moment to wretchedness and misery. I fear we shall have
to lament the loss of upwards of one hundred people besides those
hurt. Reports from the country state similar disasters in all
the villages round about, and letters from Bhooj inform us that
the Fort is much in the same condition as Anjar. Slight shocks
continue to be felt and I shall (at) the first leisure moment,
report such particulars as I may be able to collect.
I have the honor to be etc.
J. McMurdo
Ordered that our concern be expressed to Captain McMurdo at
the effects produced from the earthquake felt at Anjar etc, with
intimation that we are anxious to receive further accounts of
the extent of the damages sustained by the adjacent country.
Recorded the following extracts of private letters from Colonel
Milnes on the subject of the earthquake at Anjar.
from Milnes, Bhooj 17 June 1819
We are at present in a shocking state of alarm here -
last evening between 6 and 7 o'clock we were visited by a dreadful
earthquake - The wall that surrounded Bhooj is almost levelled
with the ground and the few Towers which are left standing are
merely broken remains; The houses generally unroofed; others in
ruins, and most of the larger buildings including the Palace greatly
injured. The wall of the Hill Fort down in many places and a complete
breach near the gateway. The right of our camp rest a short distance
on the left of the latter, fronting the tower, and extends along
the bottom of the hill, to a little beyond the large tower on
the south most point. I am happy to say that we have had no one
materially hurt- two Sepoys only bruised, who were on duty in
the town, but I fear that a great many casualties have occurred
there among the poor natives. Some hundreds are said to have lost
their lives. There is at present so much confusion that the number
cannot be ascertained.
We had several shocks during the night and they have continued
at intervals this day, the last one about two hours ago, when
I could scarcely keep upon my legs, The sensation is horrible
while it lasts. They have suffered we understand, in the same
way at Anjar.
Bhooj 18 June 1819
We still continue here in a state of doubtfulness and extreme
anxiety. Every three hours we feel the Earth trembling under us
but in a slighter degree. The inhabitants quitted the town yesterday,
and slept out last night in the plains and about the neighbouring
hills. The number of lives at present ascertained to be lost is
almost 500.
I have just received a letter from Captain MacMurdo (who went
to Anjar before the late events) for Dooly Bearers to assist in
clearing away the streets and gates there; which he says , if
not done before the rain falls, the town will be swamped. They
are in wretched state there it appears.
from Milnes, Bhooj 19 June 1819
The last trembling we had was at 12 o'clock this day, rather
severe, so that we are still kept in dread. Between 50 and 100
missing bodies have been discovered in the Town. Before this awful
event took place we had not the least warning of its approach
whatever. On the evening it occurred I took a short ride. The
weather was delightful, a clear sky, a gentle breeze and perfectly
cool, there having been a heavy fall of rain only a few days before.
As I was returning home in a quick walk, some time after the Sun
had set , when within about a quarter of a mile of the front of
our camp I suddenly perceived something very unusual and extraordinary
in the paces of my horse. His legs appeared to be in motion but
he seemed to make no way whatever, at the same time, I felt a
sort of dizziness in my head, and a sickness in my stomach, supposing
this to proceed from the strange motion of the horse and that
he was ill and might fall under me, I was thinking to dismount
when my attention was distracted by an immense cloud of dust bursting
out from the center of the hill Fort, which I took to be an explosion
of gunpowder, and the first impression on me was that an accident
had happened to the Magazine. But on casting my eyes to the left
towards Bhooj, I observed the whole Town from one extreme to the
other completely enveloped in a similar cloud, and on looking
behind me I also observed the same appearance at no great distance
in that quarter. I was then satisfied of its being dust and not
Gunpowder, and concluded it to be some description of Typhoon
or Hurricane, but still I was perplexed to account for its continuing
so perfectly calm and serene about the spot where I was standing,
and there not being the least symptom of a wind rising. I was
just about moving quickly into Camp when I saw Captain Wilson,
the assistant resident, who had been riding with me and from whom
I had parted only a few minutes before, coming towards me from
the town. He acquainted me that he was entering by one of the
gateways when there was a general crash and that the whole place
had fallen down. Upon this I of course knew at once the cause,
but until that moment had not the most distant idea of its being
an earthquake. When I go to my tent I found that the Table which
had been laid out for dinner was thrown over and everything on
it smashed to pieces.
The deposed Rao's mother and his Father's wives were among the
sufferers in town. Some part of the Palace fell upon her, the
body not yet found.
Extract Bombay Public Consultations 14 July 1819
Read the following letter from the Resident at Anjar 19 June 1819
from MacMurdo, Anjar 19 June 1819
To William Newnham esq., Acting Chief secretary to Government
of Bombay
Sir 1. Since my address under the 17th instant accounts have been
received from various quarters of the country.. There is every
reason to believe that the shock has destroyed in a greater or
lesser degree, every fort and town from Arrisir to Luckput. many
of the villages round about Anjar are reduced to heaps of rubbish,
and I fear that those in Cutch an Wagir generally are little less
injured. Bhooj has been a great sufferer. The wall so the town
level with the ground. The palace in many parts in the same state,
and the private dwelling houses in ruins. The loss of lives is
not exactly ascertained but the lowest calculation makes it 500
perople. The Rao's family has escaped, with the exception of the
old lady, the widow of Rao Raidhan. Mandavee is stated to have
suffered less than other places and is said to have lost only
125 people. Accounts from Coorbee state that town to be in ruins.
2. Our loss in Anjar has been greater that I had at first supposed.
We have to lament the loss of 166 lives besides and double that
number wounded, many of whom severely. Out of 4500 houses of which
the town is composed, about 1500 are so completely destroyed as
to not leave one stone upon another. They are overturned from
the very foundation. About 1000 more are laid in ruins and so
dreadful has been the shock, that of the standing some are injured
and many uninhabitable. The fort cannot now bear that name, as
there is no a third of it remaining in different parts, and even
those are likely to fall with the first rains.
3. It is impossible to describe the misery of the unfortunate
people. Their property buried in ruins, and exposed without the
possibility of saving it (from) the weather. Their families, some
among the ruins, and some in the open fields exposed in the same
wretched condition, the calamity has been so general that not
a labourer can be had for money. In the richer, and more respectable
class of people, are seen sitting surrounded by their families,
in the spot where their houses once stood in the most helpless
and destitute situation.
4. I have not in my power to assist them materially, but what
is in my power I have done. Free ingress and egress has been given
to all property without taxes, and I venture to suggest to Government
to continue this favour towards the people at least for some months
to come. It seems impossible to levy duties from a town in ruins.
5. I have set the labouring people about cleaning the streets
and making a passage for the water to escape, for if the rains
were to set in with violence the lower and greater part of the
town would, in the present state, be 6 feet under water.
6. I applied to the commanding officer, for the assistance of
a working party, but I am sorry to say that he did not think it
proper to allow the men to be employed in assisting the inhabitants.
Enclosed is the correspondence for the information of the government.
7. Since writing the forgoing, 150 Dooley Bearers have been kindly
sent by Colonel Milnes to our assistance.
I have the honour to be etc.
J. McMurdo, Resident at Bhooj and Collector at Anjar.
Anjar 19 June 1819.
P.S. I have neglected to observe that the Public Buildings of
every description including the judges dwelling house, offices
etc. are rendered unsafe to inhabit.
Anjar 17 June 1819 MacMurdo to Morgan requesting help
To Captain James Morgan Commanding at Anjar. Sir,
1. It is of the utmost importance for the safety if the town of
Anjar that the Warsamoree and Sortia gateways, and the water drains
should be cleared of ruins, in order that the water may pass off,
which would otherwise, in case of rain, swamp the better half
of the town.
2. In consequence of the threatening appearance of the weather,
and all the town people being at present too much employed in
rescuing their families and small remains of property , I take
the liberty to request, should you have no objection, that a proportion
of the regular Sepoys be permitted to aid for a few days, for
the public good by their labor, in working parties, to clear the
passages for water and the gateways. I make this request with
less hesitation as the dreadful misfortune has fallen with comparatively
trifling weight upon the men of the Detachment.
I have the honor to be etc.,
L McMurdo 17 June 1819
Anjar 17 June 1819 Morgan to MacMurdo denying help
To Capt, J, McMurdo Resident etc. etc.
Sir Consistent with the military duties required of the Garrison
under existing circumstances, I am concerned to say it is not
in my power to comply with your request. Their duties, I am ready
to allow should give way to necessities of greater magnitude,
but until that is the case I conceive the employment of soldiers
in occupations of the nature required , would be improper and
inconsistent with the established use of the service .
I have the honor to be etc.
Thos Morgan,
Captain Commanding Anjar. 17 June 1819.
Ahmedabad 28 June 1819 Request to repair the Mosque
Sir, The Khazee of this city having the name of the Muhamedan
inhabitants requested me to transmit the accompanying petition
to Government to repair the Juma Muzjed. I have the honour to
forward it with a translation for the purposes of being laid before
the honorable board.
2. Upon a subject of this kind I can of course have little to
say; there is certainly scarcely any thing that could afford so
strong a contrast to the principles of the government to which
we have succeeded, as an attention to the wishes of the people
on this occasion, and that could excite in so lively a manner
the gratitude of our subjects of all ranks and persuasions, for
it must be observed that the memory of Sultan Ahmed is held in
respect and veneration not only by Moosulmans but also by Hindoos,
as that of their Protector and the Founder of their City.
3. There must at the same time be various considerations which
must materially affect the decision of government on this question,
and upon which I cannot presume to offer any observations.
4. With reference to my letter of the 17th I beg that you will
inform the Hon. Board that private property has not suffered from
the earthquake of the 16th in any way to make public assistance
at all necessary.
Charles Norris, 28 June 1819 Ahmedabad.
Translation of the petition
"In the evening of the 16 June 1819 great alarm and apprehension
was occasioned throughout the city by the shock of an earthquake.
It was so severe that all the people thought that the last day
was come. All the buildings and houses old and new shook like
rattans and were very nearby all falling and killing thousands
of men. The time however of the people was not come and God was
merciful so that the earthquake ceased, but great damage was done
to the public buildings. The old stone buildings, which were erected
four hundred years ago or more, the stone mosques, Razahs and
domes both within and without the city, the stone minarets of
the mosques, remarkable for their height and beauty, which need
not have fallen before the last day, have all been broken and
thrown down. But the greatest loss has been in the minarets of
the Iuma Muzjed, which was built by Sultan Ahmed Badshah, the
founder of the city. It stands in the middle of the Bazaar, and
of the city, and its minarets were the greatest ornament to the
city, and to the Mosque. Both the Mosque and the minarets were
the largest in the place, and the Minarets were also in this particular,
remarkable, in that a person going up one them and shaking it
, could communicate the motion to the other, so that people came
from all quarters to admire them. Both these minarets have been
thrown down by the shock and the whole city deprived of its greatest
ornament and the mosque is quite deformed."
[Another two pages follow asking the government to repair the
Mosque etc. These are omitted for brevity]
Resolved that Mr. Norris be informed that government deem it
proper to decline entering into any engagement for the re-erection
of the Minarets of the Iumma Musjed at Ahmedabad, as the expense
attending it would be considerable and the buildings themselves
are more ornamental than useful.
from MacMurdo, Bhooj 23 June 1819, Read 21 July 1819,
I have the honor to report for the information of government
that since I returned to Bhooj I have ascertained the damage sustained
in that town to be much greater than I had supposed. The loss
in lives has not been correctly ascertained, as bodies continue
to be dug out from the ruins. About a thousand have already been
found. The fort is in a most ruinous state, but although there
is little of it entire, there are few places so completely leveled
to the ground as that of Anjar. As near as can be calculated seven
thousand houses have been overturned, and few or none in the city
left uninjured.
The Palace which is an immense mass of building has been dreadfully
shattered. All the upper parts overturned, and the pile, as low
as the lower floor, rent and shook, so as to render the whole
nearly uninhabitable. I am happy to say that the Rao's family
has escaped without further loss than already reported. The Ex
Rao is removed to tents near those of the residency, where he
is guarded by a detachment of 100 Rank and File. The Rao Desul
and all the females of the family, are also in tents outside of
the town, where I hope to be able to persuade them to remain until
some place can be made secure for their reception.
I may observe that the whole of Cutch has suffered nearly equally
in regard to the loss of houses, yet I am glad to say that the
proportion of lives lost in different places bears no affinity.
Perhaps Bhooj has lost as many as the whole of Cutch put together.
In Mandavi 116 and in Luckput 150 are said to have suffered. The
Iharyjas have in some instances lost members of their families.
Koteree, Thera , Koira, Mothana and Nangercha are spoken of as
having experienced the most dreadful effects from the shock, but
perhaps there is little difference anywhere.
A number of phenomenon are said to have occurred at the moment
of the shock, but I shall only remark that which appears the most
striking. The Runn and Bhunee on the north of Cutch, between that
Province and the isolated district of Kouvra, which was quite
dry was suddenly filled with a sheet of water, the extent of which
east and west was not known, but its breadth was generally about
6 miles, and its depth gradually increased to upwards of 2.5 feet.
after which, in a few hours, the waters subsided to about half
that quantity. Horseman who crossed this tract on the day following
the shock, describe a number of cones of soft sand elevated above
the water, the tops of which were bubbling with air and water
when they passed. As far as I have learned the sandy bed of every
dry river in Cutch was filled for a space of time with a flood
of water. These waters have the colour and taste of the soil from
whence they were ejected.
The effects which this awful visitation may have on the prosperity
of Cutch and consequently on our interests are very material,
but I shall defer entering on the subject until the return of
the Bhyant to Bhooj to their homes (wither the late event has
called them) shall enable me to mature my sentiments.
J. McMurdo, 23 June 1819 Anjar.
[ previous readers of the last sentence have attempted to elucidate
its meaning through annotations to the syntax of the original
without success]
from MacMurdo, Bhooj, 16 Sept. 1819
I have the honour to submit for the information of government
an estimate of the value of the houses destroyed by the late earthquake
in the town of Anjar
I have the honour etc.
J. Macmurdo
No of casts Names of casts Number of monthly rent value
houses destroyed
1. Nunowana Brahmans 92 189 50,925
2. Bunyans 229 449 1 10,3975
3. Bhojiik 3 2 2 400
4.Shimalee Brahmins 95 147 40625
5. Bhattia 113 220 1 65700
6. Nagur Mettas 26 46 3 19,626
The list has altogether 46 lines of damage data sorted according
to cast that are omitted for brevity. Monetary units are Couries.
46. Bhunjia 2 1 2 150\
total 1547 2231 2 4,73,790
J. McMurdo, 16 Sept, 1819 Camp Bhooj
Bombay 15 Oct 1819
Captain Macmurdo is informed that we are concerned to find
that the injury sustained by the late earthquake has been attended
with so very heavy a loss to the inhabitants at Anjar as above
reported.
Bombay 1 November 1819
Extract Public letters from Bombay
Para 61 A subscription having been circulated for the relief
of the Hon. Company's distressed subjects at Anjar who have suffered
so severely from the effects of the late earthquake, as so fully
described in the dispatches from Captain Macmurdo, transmitted
to hour Hon., Court under the dates the 7th and 8th July last
and in the one recorded as per margin (1819 consultations 21 July
Folio 1211), we have taken upon ourselves to subscribe the sum
of Rupees four thousand on the part of the Honourable Company.
Captain Macmurdo having been vested with the distribution of the
amount.
62. The value of 1547 Houses destroyed on this occasion is estimated
at Couries 4.73.790 which yielded an annual rent of Couries 26,778.
(in margin: 1819 Consultations 20 October Folio)
The following entry is the first in the sequence but its date
is obviously related to the 1 November statement and may be a
summary of it. It is written in a poor script and is obviously
later material.
Bombay 7 July 1819
The shock of an earthquake was severely felt on the 16th June
1819 at the northern Stations particularly at Ahmedabad and also
in Kachchh. The sum of Rp.4000 has been subscribed on the part
of the Co. for the relief of their distressed subjects at Anjar.
LONDON 6 June 1821 Answer to public Letter dated 7 July 1819
Public Department Despatches to Bombay 13 Sept 1820-31 Oct
1821, Volume 45, E/4/1040 Record Department, India Office Library,
London Page 653.
.
33. We were greatly concerned on perusing the melancholy accounts
of the devastation occasioned in various parts of the territories
subject to your government by the awful visitation in question,
which is stated to have been felt with such severity at Anjar
in Cutch, and to have at once reduced a flourishing population
to wretchedness and misery and which was attended with the loss
of many hundred lives.
34. The relief extended to the surviving sufferers by means of
a public subscription was highly creditable to the promoters of
it, and we cordially approve of your having contributed 4000 Rs.
on the part of the government.
35. We cannot close this subject without expressing our entire
approbation of the conduct of Captain McMurdo.
Footnote - see 8 July 1819 and also paragraph 61-62 1 Nov 1819
Bombay Gazette records on MicroFiche
in the India Office library,
It is possible that other libraries may have holdings for 1844
and 1845. The paper is a weekly newspaper . It seems to reproduce
verbatim letters, but does not disclose the writer's names. The
damage is concentrated along the coast of Cutch and Cambay and
not so pronounced inland. No details are given for the remoter
sensed locations. The Calcutta report may even be a small local
earthquake?
Bombay Gazette 16 June 1819 nothing.
Bombay Gazette 23 June 1819 A slight shock being felt etc...... But it appears to have been so slight a convulsion that most people doubted the evidence.
The west side of the island seems to have been most affected for we have been informed at Cambala, the undulations were distressing, and in the houses in the vicinity of the retreat, the lamps were shook violently. It was felt at Sion, and along the east side of the island but less distinctly and its duration was only of a few seconds.
This is further corroborated by the following extract of a
letter from Surat dated 17 June.
At 20 minutes past seven yesterday evening I felt a strange trembling
sensation....
It is strange my servants did not perceive it....I felt as if
undetermined whether I should stand or lie down."
Bombay Gazette Wednesday 30th June 1819
The earthquake, We have received accounts from Ahmedabad,
from Broach , Baroda and Khaira concerning this awful convulsion
of nature.
Extract of a letter from Ahmedabad. 18 June 1819
"It commenced gradually with a trembling of the earth
attended with a rumbling noise: this increased every second ,
and was succeeded by a strong rushing noise, with a violent undulating
motion, so that it was with difficulty we could keep on our legs.
At this time , all the disageeable sensation was experienced of
being tossed in a ship at sea in a swell, and the rocking was
so grreat that every moment we expected the earth to open beneath
our feet."
omitted here is an irrelevant paragraph on weather.
"The rocking motion affected persons in various ways in different
situations. Those indoors experienced all the horrors attending
the awful suspense in which they felt themselves, the walls of
the houses shook and were rent in various places, the beams and
the roofs cracked and appeared ready to fall on the inmates and
crush them to atoms in an instant. People in wheeled carriages
were nearly thrown out by the shaking of their vehicles, and animals
of all kinds in a stationary position, felt confounded and became
restless. Persons in motion , on horesback, were however unconscious
of the shock.
The proud minaretes of the great Mosque, the Juma Muzjid, erected
by the Sooltan Ahmud, the King of Guzerat and the founder of the
city of Ahmedabad, which have stood for nearly 450 years, have
tumbled to the ground. The Mosque itself has sustained less injury
than could have been expected, and the handsome arch which seaprated
the minarets has escaped unhurt.
Another Muzjid, of elegant structure , which lies to the left
of the road leading to the Shahee Bagh, denominated the Beebee's
or Unchunt Koonkwee ke Muzjid, has shared the same fate. A gentleman
while riding out saw the minars come down: the tops were thrown
to a great distance, and immediately after the stones came tumbling
down one after another. The only remaining shaking minarets, which
are at all worthy of notice, and much inferior to the others have,
I hear, been sadly fractured. They are situated west of the city
outside the walls. The mausoleums (Rozas) and places of Moohamudan
worship have suffered considerably, both in the city and int he
surrounding country. Hindoo temples are few in number and of recent
build in the city since its conquest from the true believers seventy
years ago by the Murhuttus; consequently a very small number have
been damged. The walls of the Udalhut, an old building erectted
by the Murhuttus and the palace of the Peshwas viceroys in Guzerat
have been much injured, and the walls rent in many places. The
magnificent towers also forming the grand entrance to the citadel
have been much shaken, and cracked in several places, especially
the one in which the flag has been placed. Many private houses
have been reduced to ruins, and 'tis most fortunate amidst all
our disasters that not a single life has been lost, and but few
accidents.
Between the hours of 12 and 1 the same night we experienced two
or three slight shocks and another at 6. At quarter before 10
we had one more severe, which shook the houses and caused the
windows and doors to rattle violently. We were now on the alert
and quitted our houses in haste but the shock did not continue
above a few seconds. and was trifling compared with the one of
the previous night. A 10:30 we were again visited slightly and
at intervals the whole of the day. The last I felt occurred at
12:20 in the night and since then I cannot say I have experienced
any more, although fancy has frequently led me to pause, and expect
a return of this terrible visitation."
blah blah speculation etc
"Reports from Kaira mention that the grand shock was
experienced there twenty minutes after us and that it lasted only
37 seconds; two natives were killed by the falling of their homes
& a good deal of damage has been done there.The Udulat hs
suffered and the walls rent, the Jain temple opposite to it has
also received a terrible fracture. Kaira is distant from Ahmedabad
18 or 20 miles."
Broach 16 june 1819 (contractive quadrant possibly?)
"We had last night a very severe shock aof an earthquake
. The ground moved like the waves of the sea, and it was with
the greatest difficulty I could keep on my legs. The walls of
the house moved backwards and forwards.and the lamps went with
a very quick motion; the water in our well rose many feet with
a great noise, and did not subside for an hour, after it was over.
Europeans and natives ran into the streets; many native houses
were thrown down, and several boats upset by the extraordinary
motion of the river. It lasted above three minutes. I never in
my life felt such an awful time, every moment expecting instant
death. 17th june this morning at 10 o'clock we had another slight
shock for a few seconds."
Our correspondant from Baroda. being a native expresses
himself as follows.
"Last ight I coe from office, then we get Durtee Kup, ground
so much shook, water jar is broken, Dinner is spoiled, all women
and children , run away. No man understand this thing, only God,
Lamp is cracked, Goat is gone away, all the persons is much frightened.
Bombay Gazette 14 July 1819
Earthquake 5 June 1819 in Mocha (I m not sure where this is,
towards Oman?)
"its effects were to overturn tables and chairs. all over
the adjacent country and in the factory at Mocha."
Porebunder 17 June 1819
We yesterday experinced in this town and fort one of the most
awful scenes of nature, that of a violent and destructive shock
from an earthquake.
First follows a few paragraphs describing the shaking of the walls
of the fort (in a very graphic way) and then the two officers'
escape, and much verbiage and verbosity, he continues...
"On reaching a spot of comnparative safety, for then no place
was safe, the attention was directed to a vast clound of black
dust, arising at about 300 yards distant, and from the sea face
of the fort .... aprproaching the cloud of dust , I found it to
proceed from the fall of 9 Towers (20-30 feet high), and large
parts of the curtain, (22-25 feet high) leaving twenty one breaches
of 40 and 60 yards wide. This devastation extended for 500 yards,
and over a part of the fort which I had been walking on, not five
minutes before."
-----
"I believe there are few houses throughout thisn large city
which have not been more or less injured: some have fallen and
blocked the streets in which they were situated.
I am happy to say that not one life has been lost in this town
, a circumstance which appears almost miraculaous, from the danger
which existed.
The Earth opened, and water issued from the cavity , over an extensive
piece of ground, in a plain, distant 14 miles hence.
------
There has been several other shocks between 10 am and 2 pm which
brought some houses down and violently shook the seats of those
who were seated within doors, which caused then to run out of
their houses.but these inferior alarms are not to be compared
with yesterday's awful phenomenon.
-----
I am this moment informed that fifty men were killed by the fall
of walls at Mangrole on this coast which is distant 60
milres in a SE direction.
-----....half a Lac of Rupees damage estimated.
Porebunder 18 June same correspondent
-----
'they say the town of Kooteenna has suffered but not so much as Porebunder.
Bhooj 23 June 1819
nothing new -repeat of the MacMurdo story. Probably written
by McMurdo.
"We also find that this awful phenomenon has also been witnessed at Calcutta, and singular to say on the same day that it was felt at this presidency."
"an extract of a letter from Allahabad 25:30°N:
"we had a slight shock of an earthquake two or three evenings
since. I never experienced so extraordinary a senstaion, my first
idea was that I must be extremely ill, for I felt the earth move
in a way that I cannot describe and an earthquake was the last
thing I thought of. I observed that my tent was shaking and that
my sword which was hangin agaionst the wall flew bachwards and
forwards, in away that I could not easily account for. This is
the furthest north we have yet heard of nor have we any accounts
of it having extended farther south than Poonah.
Bombay Gazette Wednesday 4 August 1819
June 16 7:20 awful to a degree
17 10:00 two slight ones
18 7 am rather strong
19 several slight ones
21 at 9 rather strong
23 at 2 am strong. the house and furniture in great agitation
3/4 of an hour
23/30 2 or three slight ones.
July 8 at 11 pm slight
11 at 5 slight
21 at 10 pm strong. The house etc in agitation 3/4 of a minute
Camp Bhooj 17 July 1819
About 1 o'clock on the 15th a severe shock was felt here,
the tiles came off several houses. On the evening of the 15th
another (7:30) slight and nother in the morning and again this
morning. 50 shocks since the 16th June.
_______________________________________________
A.Burnes, E. Leech, E. Lord and I. N. Wood, Reports and
papers Political, Geographical and Commercial in Scinde Affghanisthan
and adjacent countries, Calcutta 1839. Mostly commerce, some
river stuff but nothing of relevance to Kachchh.
Mac Murdo, J., Journal of a route through Guzerat, The Peninsula of Gujarat in the early Nineteenth Century, edited S.K. Ghosh, Sterling Publishers Pvt Lrtd new Delhi 1977 pp 163. This is an account of NacMurdo's journal 1809-1810 through the LITTLE RANN OF KACHCHH EAST AND THEN NORTH. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE GREAT RANN. It was published posthumously from materials left in the archives in Edinburgh.
Burnes, J., 1831 Narrative to the court of Scinde;
A sketch of the History of Kachchh from its first connexion with
the British Government in India till the conclusion of the treaty
in 1819; by James Burnes, 1831 His route does not take him
to the Allah Bund. It goes along the coast from Bhooj to the Indus
and then to Tatta and Hyderabad. He is the brother of Alexander
Burnes A. Burnes map (W. Ballantine Lith. Edin. 1831) faces
page 145.
It shows Sindri L. and the Allah Bund. Nothing of importance concerning
the earthquake. The rains of 1823 and 1824 failed entirely. Short
history up to 1830.
_______________________________________________
The Philosophical Magazine and Journal
By Alexander Tilloch Vol. LV For Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr.,
May, and June, 1820London: Printed by Richard and Arthur Taylor,
Shoe Lane
Pages 69-70
India, Mirzapore. Letters from Chunar and Mirzapore
mention, that about eight o'clock in the evening of the 16th June,
1819, the shock of an earthquake was experienced at these places.
The same effect, in a slight degree, was remarked about the same
time at Calcutta. At Chunar, the motion was accompanied by a noise
in the atmosphere, which resembled that occasioned by the rapid
flight of birds..
Jionpoor. The shock of the earthquake that was felt in
Calcutta, on the evening of Wednesday the 16th June, about half-past
eight o'clock, was experienced also in Jionpoor, pretty nearly
about the same time, as will appear by the following extract of
a letter transmitted to us from that station, which has just reached
us:
"A strong shock of an earthquake was felt here on the night
of the 16th of June, at a quarter past 8 o'clock; there were three
distinct vibrations from west to east, with the usual accompaniments
of rattling wall shades, swinging punkahs, and flapping doors.
There are different opinions as to its duration, which appeared
to me about twenty-five seconds; the intervals were very distinct.
It was not accompanied by the rumbling noise I have usually heard
on such occasions, and which I have hitherto imagined to be the
earth's vibration. Both the noise and motion must be separate
effects of some unknown cause. The rains have not yet commenced,
and the weather has been unusually hot."
Sultanpore. Extract from a letter dated Sultanpore, Oude,
17th June, 1819: "A severe and awful shock of an earthquake
was felt at this station last night, at seventeen minutes past
eight, which lasted some time, and occasioned very considerable
alarm. The bungalows actually rocked, particularly the mess one
of the 1st battalion 19th regiment, in which the officers were
at dinner at the time, and the huts of the soldiers were a good
deal damaged. The heat for the last two or three days has been
excessive, and not a drop of rain has yet fallen."
Page 236
June 16. Kutch County, East Indies ; the town of Booj and the fort of Booj overturned ; 2000 inhabitants buried under the ruins. Three days after the first shock oscillatory movements of the ground were felt from hour to hour ; a volcano burst out at ten leagues from Booj.