November 23 in History
1978 – Cyclone 04B kills about 1,000 people in Eastern Sri Lanka.
The 1978 Sri Lanka Cyclone (JTWC designation: 04B) was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province since modern records began. The cyclone formed on November 20, attained peak intensity on November 23, right before making landfall on Trincomalee. Akkaraipattu, Ninthavur, Kalmunai, Kaluwanchikuddy, Pattiruppu, Chettipalayam, Thalankudah, Kattankudy, Batticaloa, Eravur and Kalkudah in the Eastern Province were the most affected due to their position in the vicinity of the cyclone. Approximately a thousand people were killed and more than one million people were affected. Nearly 250,000 houses and 240 school building were partially and completely damaged; one fifth of Batticaloa’s fishing fleet, nine of the 11 paddy stores, 90% of the coconut plantation (28,000 odd acres of coconut plantation) in the Batticaloa district were destroyed. The Sri Lankan government spent over Rs 600 million in relief efforts in the aftermath of the disaster. A tropical cyclone report noted that over 130 electrical lines were downed and copious amounts of religious buildings were reduced to rubble.
-Wikipedia