JOURNAL OF CRITICAL REVIEWS ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 09, 2020 1897 EARTHQUAKE AND THE OUTBREAK OF CHOLERA AND KALA-AZAR IN COLONIAL ASSAM: A STUDY Amar Deka PhD Research Scholar, Department of History, Gauhati University Email ID: [email protected] Received:26 January 2020 Revised and Accepted: 11 April 2020 ABSTRACT: The paper attempts to understand the catalytic role of the great earthquake of 1897 on the outbreak of cholera and transmission of kala-Azar among the natives of Assam. The paper also tries to analyse the responses and disease control measures of the colonial government in the closing years of the nineteenth century. Assam lies in one of the most active seismic zone in the world. This region has been experiencing innumerous earthquake since the time immemorial. On 12th June 1897 this region is struck by an earthquake of great severity with magnitude of about 9.7 on the Richter scale. The earthquake had created a great havoc. A large number of masonry buildings, houses, railways, telegraph lines and other govermnet facilities were converted into heap of ruins. It had tremendous impact on the drainage system of Brahmaputra and Surma- Barak valley. The earthquake with incessant rain was followed by flood in many places. The earthquake had a negative impact on the general health of the people. The rate of transmission of kala-azar increased considerably. Diseaese like cholera, fever and malaria broke out in many places in epidemic form due to dislocation of water supply and sanitation system. KEYWORDS: earthquake, epidemic, kala-azar Cholera, Assam I. INTRODUCTION Human history represents endless struggle with the extreme forces of nature such as flood, draught, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, hurricane, tornado etc. which causes destruction and disaster like situation. Among them, earthquake is one of the most devastating natural catastrophes that the humans have ever witnessed. It comes without warning, whether it is for seconds or minutes, to those who experienced it feels eternal. Earthquake disasters are found to be the second most reported natural disaster (after flood) and the first among the geophysical disaster. The impact of the earthquake may vary according to the power, intensity, geographical localization (high density population) and level of development in the affected region. The direct cause of death in the aftermath of an earthquake is primarily seen as a result of building collapse and traumatic injuries. On many occasions, outbreak of infectious diseases has been reported as the earthquake disaster caused substantial population displacement which leads to formation of unplanned and overcrowded shelters, with limited access to food and safe water. The water supply/sanitation system and the degradation of sanitary conditions caused by the earthquake also resulted to outbreak of diseases.1 Earthquake, in many instances, leads to flooding causes by landslide, collapsing of dams, blocking up river channel with silt and debris. The impact of earthquake on the regime of river, especially on the morphology of the channel, has considerable influence on the flood potential of a region. For example, the erosive power of Brahmaputra along its bank has increased considerably after the Assam earthquake of 1950. Sadia town at the confluence of Dibong and Lohit disappeared in 1953. A major part of the Dibrugarh and Palashbari towns were destroyed in 1954. As a result of the earthquake, extensive landslides occurred in the hill temporarily blocking the course of the Subansiri, Dibang and Dihang. Bursting of these temporary bunds created by the landslides after a few days released enormous amount of impounded water, producing devastating flood downstream. Carrying capacity of Brahmaputra and its tributaries reduced considerably due to heavy loads of sediments on its beds resulted to increased the intensity of flood in the surrounding low lands.2 Flood is the most common among the natural calamities. Immediate injuries and death that resulted from flood disasters are mostly caused by drowning and blunt trauma. After effect of flooding include outbreak of diseases caused by displacement of people into the overcrowded camps and cross contamination of water sources with toxic materials. Flooding is also usually followed by the proliferation of mosquitoes resulting in an upsurge of 3144 JOURNAL OF CRITICAL REVIEWS ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 09, 2020 mosquito-borne diseases like malaria.3 Natural disasters such as earthquake and flood dramatically increase the mortality and morbidity resulting from communicable diseases. The top five causes of death in emergencies and disasters include diarrhea, acute respiratory infection, measles, malnutrition and in epidemic zones, Malaria. In 1991, an earthquake in Costa Rica‟s Atlantic region was accompanied with a high increase in malaria cases. Furthermore, intermittent flo oding associated with El Nino-Southern Oscillation has been correlated with malaria epidemics in Peru.4 The paper attempts to understand the Catalytic role of the great earthquake of 1897 on the outbreak of cholera and transmission of kala-Azar among the natives of Assam. The paper also tries to analyse the responses and disease control measures of the colonial government in the closing years of the nineteenth century. II. ASSAM: A DISASTER PRONE REGION Assam has been witnessing innumerous earthquake since time immemorial. This part of Indian subcontinent is situated in one of the most active seismic regions in the world. However, History of earthquake in Assam is limited by dearth of written historical sources as the historians used to focus mainly on political and social events. Earthquake, whether small or big, finds very little mention in their narratives. Yet, available data provides instances of some major earthquake which struck in this region. R.N. Iyenger through his intensive search of records in libraries, archives, archaeological memoirs, records of geological investigations and other sources of history provided a catalogue of eight earthquakes that struck various parts of Assam. The catalogue includes the earthquakes of Garhgaon during the reign of Suklemung alias Garhgaya Raja(1548 AD), Gajala (1596 AD), several earthquakes in Upper-Assam during the reign of king Suramppha alias Bagha Raja (1642 AD), three earthquakes in Upper Assam (April-May, 1649 AD) during the reign of king Jayadhwaj Singha, Kajali near Gauhati (1663 AD), Sadiya (February-August, 1697 AD), Tinkhang and Chraideo Hill (1714 AD), and Rangpur (1759 AD). Garhgaon earthquake as pointed out by Iyenger found mention in the Ahom Buranji which states “In Lakani Tao-Shinga (i.e.in 1548 AD) a vilolent earthquake took place, pebbles, sand and ashes came out bursting the surface of the earth…” Similarly, earthquake in Sadia (February-August, 1697 AD) found mention in the Tunkhungia Buranji (Ed. and Tr. Bhuyan) which records “In the month of Puh 1618, Bandar Phukan of the Chetia family constructed a fort at Puingdang under the orders of the king which took two months. In the same year there was an earthquake which continued for six months in an abortive fashion, from Phagu to Saon. The earth was rent as under at Sadiya, and Magur and Kawai fish appeared in the breaches. As sand and water appeared at that place the side of the hills crumbled down.”5 Assam is also a flood-prone country. Probably, the most common among the natural calamities in Assam is flood. Two great river flows through this region- Brahmaputra and Barak. Various myth and legends are attached to these rivers and is important route for trade and pilgrimage as well as for the invaders like Mughals. Flood caused by these two river system have profound impact on the lives, history and culture of the people living in the region. In Assamese society there is a saying that “Jui, Pani Aru Yuin” fire, water and white termite are the three agent of mass destruction.6 The frequent flood of the region destroy agriculture almost every year and create disaster like situation but at the same time filled their ponds with water and fresh pawn and fertile the region by their rich deposits of silt. Quite evidently, Assam has been a hunting ground of various epidemic and diseases such as malaria, small pox, Cholera, kalazar etc. These diseases have perished thousands of population of Assam. Traditional Assamese bez addressed the disease in in the following words “Khethali parbotor pora voila utpoti” here Khethali parbot means Garo Hills.7 Captain R.B. Pembertson, who was the joint commissioner of Manipur, had termed Assam as as the third most unhealthy place after Araccan and Rangoon.8 Shahibuddin Talish in his account Fathiya-i- Ibriah mentioned about the unhealthy climatic condition of Assam.9 III. IMPACT OF THE EARTHQUAKE ON DRAINAGE SYSTEM On 12th June, 1897 at around 5 P.M. in the afternoon, when most people were probably taking their evening tea, an earthquake of an unprecedented severity struck Assam with magnitude of about 8.7 (an estimate based on record of Milne‟s instrument [Richter 1958]). One of the greatest in the modern history and probably one of the largest in the world, the earthquake was confined not only to Assam and its adjoining areas, numbers of buildings in Calcutta were damaged or partially collapsed, and the tremor was felt up to Ahmadabad and Peshawar. The earthquake severely damaged buildings, houses, roads, bridges, railroads, schools, churches, temples and monuments, government facilities were destroyed, communications interrupted, and about 1,542 people died due to landslides and collapse of houses.10 Apart from the material and live loss, earthquake had a devastating impact on the drainage system of Assam, especially on Brahmaputra and Surma-Barak valley. The earthquake was accompanied by extensive landslips 3145 JOURNAL OF CRITICAL REVIEWS ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 09, 2020 and rock fall on hill slopes, subsidence and fissuring of the valley on ground, increase in river bed, changing of river course and widening of rivers.