History of Major Cyclones that have hit India

June 4, 2020June 4, 2020 Team Tentaran 0 Comment

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Let’s take a tour into the history of cyclones in India. A cyclone like we know is a large scale air mass which rotates around a strong centre of low atmospheric pressure. It is characterised by inward spiraling winds that rotate about a zone of low pressure and like other countries in the world, India has also experienced some.

The history of cyclones in India

Starting right from the 1970 Bhola Cyclone to Cyclone Nisarga in 2020, here is all about the history of cyclones in India so far:

1970 Bhola Cyclone

With a low pressure of 966 ar, the 1970 Bhola Cyclone was one of the extremely severe cyclonic storms that occurred in India. It hit India’s West Bengal on 3rd November 1970, formed over the central Bay of Bengal on 8th November and travelled northward, intensifying to reach its peak on 11th November after which it made its landfall on the coast of East Pakistan (Bangladesh). With a death toll of 5 lakh, the 1970 Bhola Cyclone was also named as one of the deadliest tropical cyclones ever.

1981 North Indian Ocean cyclone season

The 1981 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was part of the annual cycle of the tropical cyclone formation, With a low pressure of 964 mbar, it developed a total of 12 depressions during the season, starting from the northern Bay of Bengal on 20th June to southwest Myanmar on November 8 to 10.

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The history of cyclones in India

1988 Bangladesh Cyclone

Although this cyclone majorly affected Bangladesh but it also recorded a death toll of 538 in West Bengal, India on November 29, 1988. With a lowest pressure of 972 mbar, the 1988 Bangladesh Cyclone made its landfall near the Bangladesh-India border.

1990 Andhra Pradesh Cyclone

The 1990 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, also called the 1990 Machilipatnam Cyclone was the worst disaster to have affected South India. It was first noted as a depression on 4 May 1990 but intensified into a super cyclonic storm by 8 May, with the lowest pressure of 920 mbar. This cyclone weakened before making its landfall on Andhra Pradesh, India. Over 967 people and 1 lakh animals died in the cyclone. The total cost of damages to crops estimated over $600 million.

1999 Odisha Cyclone

The 1999 Odisha Cyclone was one of the most intense and the most destructive cyclone in the North Indian Ocean. The cyclone organised into a depression on 25 October in Andaman Sea and intensified rapidly on the next day, leading to a super cyclonic storm on 28 October. This storm made its landfall on Odisha on 29 October, steadily weakening due to dry air and persistent land interaction for 2 days and finally disputed on 4 November over the Bay of Bengal.

Cyclone Thane 2011

Cyclone Thane was a very very severe cyclonic storm which initially developed as a tropical disturbance within the monsoon trough to the west of Indonesia. It gradually developed further and turned towards the west. It made its landfall on the north Tamil Nadu coast on December 30 between Cuddalore and Puducherry.

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The history of cyclones in India

Cyclone Phailin 2013

After the 1999 Odisha Cyclone, Cyclone Phailin was the most intensified cyclone to make a landfall in India. With its lowest central pressure at 940 mbar, the Cyclone Phailin led to India’s biggest evacuation in 23 years. Over 550000 people were moved up from the coastline in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh while total losses estimated at Rs 260 billion.

Cyclone Lehar 2013

The Cyclone Lehar was a very severe cyclonic storm which majorly affected the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Andhra Pradesh in India. It was the second most intense cyclone of 2013, surpassing Cyclone Phailin. With its lowest pressure at 980 mbar, the origin of Cyclone Lehar can be tracked back to an area of low pressure that formed in the South China Sea on 18 November 2013. It then slowly drifted towards the Bay of Bengal where it consolidated into a depression on 23 November. On 24 November, it developed into a cyclonic storm almost equivalent to a category 1 hurricane, reaching its peak on November 26.

Cyclone Hudhud 2014

The Cyclone Hudhud was an extremely severe cyclonic storm which caused extensive damage and loss of life in eastern India and Nepal in October 2014. With its lowest pressure at 940 mbar, the Cyclone Hudhud intensified into a storm on 8 & 9 October. It reached its peak before making a landfall near Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on 12 October. This cyclone also caused rains in Uttar Pradesh and heavy snowfall in Nepal.

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The history of cyclones in India

2018 North Indian Ocean cyclone season

The 2018 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was one of the most active North Indian Ocean cyclone season since 1992. It formed 14 depressions and 7 cyclones between April and December, with two major peaks in May and November. The 7 cyclones that erupted in this timeline included Cyclone Sagar, Cyclone Mekunu, Cyclone Daye, Cyclone Luban, Cyclone Titli, Cyclone Gaja, and Cyclone Phethai.

Cyclone Fani 2019

With its lowest central pressure at 932 mbar, the Cyclone Fani made its strike on Odisha. This was one of the strongest cyclones to strike Odisha since 1999 and originated from a tropical depression which formed west of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean on 26 April. It rapidly intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm with favourable conditions on April 30. The cyclonic storm Fani reached its peak almost equivalent to that of a Category 4 major hurricane and then made its landfall on 2 May, degenerating into a remnant low on 4 May and dissipated on the next day.

Cyclone Amphan 2020

The Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan was a powerful and deadly cyclone, causing damage in Eastern India and Bangladesh in May 2020. It is the strongest cyclone to have strike the Ganges Delta since Sidr in 2007 and the first super cyclone to occur in the Bay of Bengal since the 1999 Odisha Cyclone. Cyclone Amphan is the costliest cyclone to be recorded in the North Indian Ocean, surpassing Cyclone Nargis of 2008. With a lowest pressure of 925 mbar, Cyclone Amphan is the first cyclone to intensify within 12 hours. It made its landfall in West Bengal, affecting coastal areas of Odisha and Kolkata.