Which Atlantic hurricane is considered the deadliest on record?

The Great Hurricane of 1780 is considered the deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record. Estimates place its death toll between about 22,000 and 28,500 people, far exceeding the losses from later hurricanes such as Maria, Katrina, and Mitch.

The hurricane struck the Lesser Antilles between October 10 and 16, 1780, during the American Revolutionary War. Barbados, Martinique, Saint Lucia, and Sint Eustatius were devastated, while Puerto Rico and Hispaniola also suffered major impacts. Thousands of sailors died when British and French naval vessels were destroyed, adding to the enormous civilian toll.

The storm likely reached Category 5 strength near Barbados, with historical estimates suggesting exceptionally violent winds, possibly above 200 mph. However, its exact intensity and track cannot be reconstructed with modern precision because the official Atlantic hurricane database begins in 1851.

It is sometimes called the Great Hurricane of the Antilles, the Great Hurricane of the West Indies, or the San Calixto Hurricane. Hurricane Mitch is the common mix-up: Mitch was the second-deadliest Atlantic hurricane, not the deadliest.