Grand Harbour of Malta tornado
 The Grand Harbour as it looked in the siege of 1565 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 23 September 1551 or 23 September 1556 (sources conflict) |
| F3 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 600 fatalities (estimated) |
| Areas affected | Grand Harbour, Malta |
The Grand Harbour of Malta tornado was an tornado in Malta, killing at least 600 people. It supposedly began as a waterspout, hitting the Grand Harbour of Malta where it killed hundreds of people who drowned when their ships capsized.[1] At least four of the Order's galleys, named Santa Fè, San Michele, San Filippo and San Claudio, capsized in the tornado.[2] The date of the tornado is unknown, as sources vary between 23 September 1551 or 23 September 1556. TORRO indicates a rating of T7 on the TORRO scale, equivalent to F3 on the Fujita scale.[3]
Maltese naval commander Mathurin Romegas was present and got trapped for hours under one of the capsized galleys, but survived with only neurological damage.[4]
See also
References
- ↑ "British & European Tornado Extremes". The Tornado and storm Research Organisation. Archived from the original on 28 August 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
- ↑ Abela, Joe. "Claude de la Sengle (1494 - 1557)". Senglea Local Council. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ↑ "British and European Extremes". www.torro.org.uk. TORRO. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ↑ Crowley (2008), p. 94.
- Crowley, Roger (2008). Empires of the Sea: The siege of Malta, the battle of Lepanto and the contest for the center of the world. Random House. ISBN 978-1-4000-6624-7.