The great Bengal famine of 1769-1770, in which about one-third of the population is believed to have died, was made worse by:

The great Bengal famine of 1769-1770 was made worse by an epidemic of smallpox, along with the policies of the English East India Company.

About the famine:

• It affected Bengal and Bihar, especially the lower Ganga valley.
• It was caused by the failure of rains in 1768 and 1769, which led to the failure of the rice crop.
• It is estimated that about 10 million people, about one-third of the population of Bengal, died.
• Large areas of land were left uncultivated and became jungle.

The smallpox epidemic:

• In 1770, a severe epidemic of smallpox broke out among the starving people, who were already weakened by hunger.
• It killed a large number of people, including members of the Nawab's family.

The role of the Company:

• The Company had recently taken over the right to collect revenue (Diwani).
• Under the Dual Government, the Company's officials and their Indian agents collected revenue harshly, even during the famine; in fact, the revenue collected in 1770-1771 was higher than before.
• Company servants and traders were accused of buying up rice and selling it at high prices.
• Little relief was given to the starving people.

Results:

• The famine caused a severe decline in population and agriculture.
• It exposed the failures of the Dual Government.
• It led to growing criticism of the Company in Britain.

Later famines:

• The Bengal famine of 1943, during the Second World War, in which about 3 million people died.
• The great famine of 1876-1878 in south India.

Famine policy:

The British later set up Famine Commissions (from 1880) and introduced Famine Codes.

Why not the other options?

• ✗A cyclone, a Maratha invasion or an earthquake did not make this famine worse.