 In early November 1219, the Crusaders found the city of Damietta nearly unguarded.Upon entering the walls, they found that the town had been devastated by disease and a lack of supplies.The exact numbers are unclear, but out of the 80,000–60,000 inhabitants prior to the beginning of the siege, less than 10,000 remained alive; some sources recount as few as 3,000 left.