1991 Bangladesh cyclone
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1991 North Indian Ocean cyclone season |
The 1991 Bangladesh cyclone was among the deadliest tropical cyclones on record.[1] Forming out of a large area of convection over the Bay of Bengal on April 24, the tropical cyclone initially developed gradually while meandering over the southern Bay of Bengal. On April 28, the storm began to accelerate northeastwards under the influence of the southwesterlies, and rapidly intensified to super cyclonic storm strength near the coast of Bangladesh on April 29. After making landfall in the Chittagong district of southeastern Bangladesh with winds of around 250 km/h (155 mph), the cyclone rapidly weakened as it moved through northeastern India, degenerating into a remnant low over the Yunnan province in western China.
One of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded in the basin, the tropical cyclone caused a 6.1 m (20 ft) storm surge, which inundated the coastline, causing at least 138,866 deaths and about US$1.7 billion (1991 USD) in damage. As a result of the catastrophic damage, the United States and other countries carried out Operation Sea Angel, one of the largest military relief efforts ever carried out.
Meteorological history
On April 22, 1991, a circulation formed in the southern
From its genesis, the storm moved northwestward, and early forecasts from the JTWC anticipated that trajectory would continue toward
On April 28, the flow of the southwesterlies caused the cyclone to accelerate to the north-northeast. This flow also amplified the storm's
Background and preparations
Until
The Bay of Bengal is prone to large storm surges, which is the rise in sea water accompanying a cyclone landfall. The low-lying coast of Bangladesh along the Bay of Bengal is heavily populated,[2] with at least 120 million people.[12] In 1970, a cyclone struck Bangladesh and killed at least 300,000 people.[2]
Before the cyclone moved ashore, an estimated 2–3 million people evacuated the Bangladeshi coast. In a survey by the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the main reason more people did not evacuate was underestimating the severity of the cyclone. The JTWC maintained contact with the American embassy in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, assuring that it would not have to be evacuated due to a projected track farther southeast.[2]
Impact
The cyclone made landfall in southeastern Bangladesh around the time of high tide,[6] which was already 5.5 m (18 ft) above normal; in addition, the cyclone produced a 6.1 m (20 ft) storm surge that inundated the coastline. The storm also brought winds of around 240 km/h (150 mph).[2] Winds exceeding 220 km/h (135 mph) lashed a populated region of the coast for about 12 hours, as well as 12 offshore islands.[6]
An estimated 138,000 people were killed by the cyclone.[2] More than 20,000 people died on Kutubdia Upazila, an island offshore Chittagong where 80–90% of homes were destroyed, and all livestock were killed. Some smaller offshore islands lost their entire populations.[9] There were around 25,000 dead in Chittagong, 40,000 dead in Banshkali. About 13.4 million people were affected.[9] Around 1 million homes were destroyed, leaving 10 million people homeless.[2] The storm surge caused whole villages to be swept away.
The storm caused an estimated $1.5 billion (1991
Elsewhere
The JTWC tracked the cyclone as moving northeastward from Bangladesh into northern Myanmar, dissipating in western China over Yunnan province.[3] In Northeast India, continuous rainfall and gusty winds affected Tripura and Mizoram states, causing "some loss of life" according to the IMD. Many houses in the two states were destroyed, and telecommunications were disrupted.[6]
Aftermath
In the days after the storm, homeless Bangladeshis overcrowded shelters, and many storm victims were unable to find shelter.
On the island of Sonodia its inhabitants were suffering from diarrhea from drinking contaminated water, respiratory and urinary infections, scabies and various injuries with only rice for food. Out of the ten wells on the island only 5 were functional of which only one providing pure water with the rest contaminated by sea water.
As a result of the 1991 cyclone, Bangladesh improved its warning and shelter systems.[16] Also, the government implemented a reforestation program to mitigate future flooding issues.[17]
A survey concluded that the cyclone mostly killed children of under 10 years of age and women above 40 years.[18]
Operation Sea Angel
The United States amphibious task-force, consisting of 15 ships and 2,500 men, returning to the US after the Gulf War was diverted to the Bay of Bengal to provide relief to an estimated 1.7 million survivors. This was part of Operation Sea Angel, one of the largest military disaster relief efforts ever carried out, with the United Kingdom, China, India, Pakistan and Japan also participating.[19]
Operation Sea Angel began on May 10, 1991, when President Bush directed the US military to provide humanitarian assistance.
The US military also provided medical and engineering teams to work with their Bangladeshi counterparts[9] and international relief organisation to treat survivors and contain an outbreak of diarrhea, caused by contaminated drinking water. Water purification plants were built and prevalence of diarrhea amongst the population was reduced to lower than pre-cyclone levels.[22]
After the departure of the task force, 500 military personnel, two C-130 cargo planes, five Blackhawk helicopters and four small landing craft from the task force remained to help finish off relief operations in outlying districts and rebuild warehouses. The amphibious landing ship USS St. Louis (LKA-116) delivered large quantities of intravenous solution from Japan to aid in the treatment of cyclone survivors.[23][24]
See also
- 1970 Bhola cyclone – The deadliest tropical cyclone recorded worldwide
- 1988 Bangladesh cyclone – Another powerful cyclone that followed a similar path
- 1994 Bangladesh cyclone – Another powerful cyclone that followed a similar path
- Cyclone Amphan – Took a similar path and had a similar intensity
- Cyclone Sidr
- Cyclone Nargis
- Cyclone Mora
- List of Bangladesh tropical cyclones
- List of disasters in Bangladesh by death toll
Notes
- Regional Specialized Meteorological Center for the northern Indian Ocean in 1988.[4]
- ^ The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force that issues tropical cyclone warnings for the northern Indian Ocean and other regions.[5]
References
- ^ Unattributed (2008). "The Worst Natural Disasters by Death Toll" (PDF). NOAA Backgrounder. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 12, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Annual Tropical Cyclone Report (PDF). Joint Typhoon Warning Center (Report). United States Navy, United States Airforce. 1992. p. 155. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 13, 2020. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Tropical Cyclone 02B Best Track". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. United States Navy, United States Airforce. December 1, 2002. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
- ^ a b Cyclone Warning Services in India (Report). India Meteorological Department. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
- ^ Joint Typhoon Warning Center (2011). "Joint Typhoon Warning Center Mission Statement". United States Navy, United States Airforce. Archived from the original on July 26, 2007. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f Bangladesh Cyclone, April 24–30 1991 (PDF) (Report on Cyclonic Disturbances (Depressions and Tropical Cyclones) over North Indian Ocean in 1991). India Meteorological Department. January 1992. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 22, 2021. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
- ^ a b "IMD Best track data 1982-2022" (xls). India Meteorological Department. A guide on how to read the database is available here.
- ^ "Report on Cyclonic Disturbances Over North Indian Ocean During 2009" (PDF). India Meteorological Department. January 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 4, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
- ^ a b c d The Bangladesh Cyclone of 1991 (PDF) (Report). United States Agency for International Development. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
- ^ Paul A. McCarthy (1994). Operational Sea Angel: A Case Study (PDF) (Report). RAND Corporation. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 26, 2012.
- ^ Simon Robinson (November 19, 2007). "How Bangladesh Survived a Cyclone". Time. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
- ^ a b McCarthy, Paul A. (1994). Operation Sea Angel: A Case Study (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on September 26, 2012.
- ^ "Weather Events: Significant Severe Cyclones Striking Bangladesh". www.islandnet.com. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ^ M.Z. Hossain; M.T. Islam; T. Sakai; M. Ishida (April 2008). "Impact of Tropical Cyclones on Rural Infrastructures in Bangladesh". Agricultural Engineering International: The CIGR Ejournal. X.
- ^ "Bangladesh Survivors Desperate for Aid". NPR: Morning Edition. May 3, 1991.
- ^ "Bangladesh cyclone of 1991 - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com". HISTORY.com. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- ^ "Bangladesh cyclone of 1991 | tropical cyclone". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- PMID 8440041.
- ^ Pike, John. "Operation Sea Angel / Productive Effort". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ^ "1991 Cyclone relief" (PDF). US Navy. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 6, 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ^ "Bangladesh Air Force in Disaster Management Activities". www.baf.mil.bd. Archived from the original on October 3, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ^ "Armies help govts worldwide to tackle terror, disasters". The News International. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
External links
- Data on Bangladesh disasters from NIRAPAD disaster response organisation.
- Indian Cyclone Fact Sheet
- Bern C, Sniezek J, Mathbor GM, et al. (1993). "Risk factors for mortality in the Bangladesh cyclone of 1991". Bull. World Health Organ. 71 (1): 73–8. PMID 8440041.
- JTWC report