1990 Andhra Pradesh cyclone
The Andhra Pradesh Cyclone 1990 ( IMD designation: BOB01, JTWC designation: 02B ) was the most serious natural disaster in South India since a storm in 1977, the tropical cyclone formed in the early morning of May 4 1990 as a tropical. disorder, as these moved northwestward under the influence of a subtropical ridge. The next day, the system intensified into a tropical storm, which developed after a rapid intensification on May 8 at a superzyklonischen storm. The hurricane weakened before landfall in India about 300 km north of Madras around Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh with three-minute sustained winds of 165 km / h only slightly. The cyclone has serious consequences, as in India, 967 people were killed as a result of the storm, and more than 10,000 animals died. The damage to agriculture were estimated at about 600 million U.S. dollars ( 1990, in current prices, 1000 million U.S. dollars).
Storm History
Early in the morning of May 3, noted the Joint Typhoon Warning Center ( JTWC ) that has about 800 km east of Sri Lanka formed a tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Bengal. The first westward pulling disorder was also observed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD ) and was classified by meteorologists in New Delhi the next day as Depression BOB 01. Several hours later, the JTWC warned that the emergence of a tropical cyclone is imminent. Under the influence of a subtropical ridge, the system moved to the Northwest.
The depression was incremented on May 4 to cyclonic storm. The storm was weak at the time and reached approximately the thickness equivalent to that of a weak tropical storm on the Saffir -Simpson Hurricane Scale.
Although the cyclone had a good discharge to the northeast trade winds, the JTWC expected that the system would pull within 72 hours over the country. Therefore, the JTWC was assumed that the cyclone would only just reach as hurricane strength before he would turn with a little less intensity because of a weakness in the subtropical ridge to the northwest. This change in the trajectory but then fell further north from than expected and the center of the cyclone remained on the water longer than forecast. The cyclone intensified so rapidly to a very severe cyclonic storm (Very Severe Cyclonic Storm ), who on May 6, reaching wind speeds equivalent to a hurricane early.
During the following two days the storm continued to intensify and was on May 8 at a super cyclonic storm with heavy three-minute wind speeds of 240 km / hr, equivalent to a Category 4 cyclone on the Saffir - Simpson Hurricane slala. After reaching its climax, the cyclone weakened when approaching the mainland at a very severe cyclonic storm during the day. The landfall on May 9 at 12:00 UTC clock took place near Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh about 300 km north of Madras. It was a very severe cyclonic storm with three-minute sustained winds of 165 km / h Overland storm lost steadily in strength. The IMD reported that the system has resolved early on May 10.
Impact and consequences
By IMD warnings were issued before the approaching cyclone, so that the Indian government was able to evacuate the affected areas and to order that the fishermen should be returned to the country in time. As a result, more than 150,000 people were brought in emergency camps that were set up in higher areas to provide the affected people with shelter and food, as soon as the cyclone would hit land. The timely warnings and evacuation measures meant that the number of reported deaths were lower during the cyclone than in the cyclone which had hit Andhra Pradesh in 1977.
7000 people were left on the island Edurumondi after they refused to leave the island. The island, with its main Nachugunta got the full brunt of the cyclone to be felt before it weakened over land from 9 May. The residents, however, weathered the storm in provided by the government available accommodations. The cyclone had a significant impact on the Indian mainland. The storm surge height were reported by up to 4.9 m above the normal high water level, and more than 100 villages on the coast were flooded and therefore destroyed. At least 967 people were killed by the cyclone, in most cases by the collapse of their largely built of mud and straw houses. A number of people were killed by electric shock due to drooping power lines, and some people were swept away by the flood leading rivers and drowned. At least 3 million residents of the affected region were left homeless by the storm. More than 100,000 animals died during the cyclone and at least 1085 square kilometers of rice fields were destroyed. Were harmed heavy and large stocks of mango and banana trees. ( In current prices, USD 1,000 million in 1990 ) Overall, the damage to property and agriculture have been to over 600 million U.S. dollars. The cyclone was described as the worst natural disaster in South India since a cyclone in 1977. The ingress of sea water contaminated wells for drinking water, so that was warned by the authorities prior to the outbreak of cholera and typhoid, as many residents used this water for drinking and cooking.
On May 11, two days after the passage of the cyclone, the Indian government launched a major rescue and relief operation. Indian Army and Navy threw off food parcels, and examined the extent of damage. However, the Indian government did not ask international assistance, although the Red Cross to the families concerned food, medicine and water tank made available; World Vision provided 160,000 U.S. dollars.