Racer's hurricane was a destructive tropical cyclone that affected Jamaica, northeastern Mexico, the Republic of Texas, and the Southeastern United States in September and October 1837, killing an estimated 105 people. It was named after the Royal Navy ship HMS Racer, which encountered the cyclone in the northwestern Caribbean Sea. Matamoros, on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, faced hurricane conditions for several days, with significant damage to ships. Towns along the Texas shoreline were inundated, and Galveston Island was devastated, with nearly every building washed away. A water-level rise of 8 ft (2.4 m) on Lake Pontchartrain wrecked buildings along its shores and submerged low-lying areas of New Orleans. As the weakening storm buffeted the Outer Banks of North Carolina on October 9, the passenger steamship SS Home ran aground off Cape Hatteras and broke up in the pounding surf (pictured), killing about 90 passengers and crew members.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racer%27s_hurricane

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1842:

Nabucco, an opera by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi that established his reputation, premiered at La Scala in Milan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Verdi

1847:

Mexican–American War: The Siege of Veracruz began, the first large-scale amphibious assault conducted by United States military forces. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Veracruz

1932:

Éamon de Valera, one of the dominant political figures in 20th-century Ireland, became President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89amon_de_Valera

1959:

The popular fashion doll known as Barbie debuted at the American International Toy Fair in New York City. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

ply: 1. (transitive, obsolete) To bend; to fold; to mould; (figuratively) to adapt, to modify; to change (a person's) mind, to cause (a person) to submit. 2. (intransitive) To bend, to flex; to be bent by something, to give way or yield (to a force, etc.). […] 3. (transitive) To work at (something) diligently. 4. (transitive) To wield or use (a tool, a weapon, etc.) steadily or vigorously. 5. (transitive) To press upon; to urge persistently. 6. (transitive) To persist in offering something to, especially for the purpose of inducement or persuasion. 7. (transitive, transport) To travel over (a route) regularly. 8. (intransitive, obsolete) To work diligently. 9. (intransitive, nautical, obsolete) To manoeuvre a sailing vessel so that the direction of the wind changes from one side of the vessel to the other; to work to windward, to beat, to tack. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ply

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The past eight years of conflict in Ukraine have already inflicted profound and lasting harm to children. With the escalation of the conflict, the immediate and very real threat to Ukraine’s 7.5 million children has grown. Homes, schools, orphanages, and hospitals have all come under attack. Civilian infrastructure like water and sanitation facilities have been hit, leaving millions without access to safe water. For many, life has moved underground as families seek safety in shelters, subways, or basements, often for hours on end. Women are giving birth in makeshift maternity wards with limited medical supplies. Most stores are closed, making it hard for people to buy essential items, including basic necessities for children like diapers and medication. And even if stores were open, millions of people are too afraid to venture outside for food or water because of continuous shelling and shooting. The intensification of the armed conflict is posing severe human costs, which are increasing exponentially by the day.   --Catherine M. Russell https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Catherine_M._Russell