Cyclone in Odisha-widespread destruction, loss of life, and devastation til 2023
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Odisha, located on the eastern coast of India, is prone to cyclones due to its geographical location and proximity to the Bay of Bengal. Over the years, the state has experienced several devastating cyclone in Odisha that have caused widespread destruction and loss of life. Here is a brief overview of some significant cyclones in the history of Odisha:
1971 -Cyclone in Odisha:
This cyclone hit Odisha on November 13, 1971. It caused widespread devastation, with a storm surge of about 7 meters (23 feet) in some areas
1990 -Cyclone in Odisha:
In 1990, this cyclone hit the state, causing significant devastation. The storm surge reached up to 6 meters (20 feet) in some areas, leading to widespread flooding.
1999 -Super Cyclone:
One of the deadliest Cyclone in Odisha’s history struck Odisha on October 29, 1999. The cyclone had wind speeds exceeding 260 km/h (160 mph) and caused a storm surge that inundated coastal areas. The impact was catastrophic, with approximately 10,000 people losing their lives, and millions being affected. Large-scale infrastructure damage, including the destruction of houses, roads, and power lines, occurred.
2006 -Cyclone Yemyin:
Yemyin made landfall in Odisha on June 24, 2006. Although it was not as severe as some of the previous cyclones, it still caused considerable damage, particularly in the districts of Balasore and Bhadrak. The Cyclone in Odisha resulted in the death of around 20 people and affected thousands more.
2013 -Cyclone Phailin:
Phailin made landfall in Odisha on October 12, 2013, as a very severe cyclonic storm. While it was one of the strongest cyclones to hit the region, extensive preparations and timely evacuations helped minimize casualties. However, there was significant damage to crops, infrastructure, and property.
2014- Cyclone Hudhud:
Though not a direct hit, Cyclone Hudhud impacted parts of northern Odisha on October 12, 2014, after making landfall near Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It caused heavy rainfall and led to flash floods in some areas, resulting in loss of life and damage.
2018- Cyclone Titli:
Very severe cyclonic storm Titli was part of the 2018 North Indian Ocean cyclone season and made landfall between Odisha’s Gopalpur and Srikakulam of Andhra Pradesh. Over three lakh people were evacuated along the sea coast.
2019- Cyclone Fani:
Fani struck Odisha on May 3, 2019, as an extremely severe cyclonic storm. The state government’s effective disaster management efforts and early evacuation measures helped in minimizing the loss of life. However, there was significant damage to infrastructure, power supply, and agriculture.
2019-Cyclone Bulbul:
Bulbul led to Odisha suffering agricultural damage, with 490,000 acres worth of crops destroyed state-wide. It tracked northwards in the Bay of Bengal, and it finally made landfall near Sagar Island in West Bengal as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm on November 9, causing extremely heavy rainfall and winds of up to 135 km/h across southern West Bengal. Bulbul directly affected 35 lakh people in West Bengal.
2020-Cyclone Amphan:
The powerful tropical cyclone led to the destruction of lives and property in Odisha and West Bengal. Cyclone Amphan was the first pre-monsoon super cyclone of this century that emerged from the Bay of Bengal.
2020-Cyclone BOB 03:
A depression was formed in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Meteorological Department named it BOB 03. The very next day after the identification, the BOB 03 hit the north Odisha-West Bengal coastline and caused huge destruction of lives and property.
2021-Cyclone Yaas:
Yaas made landfall near Dhamra in Odisha on May 26, 2021, as a very severe cyclonic storm. It caused heavy rainfall, strong winds, and storm surges in coastal districts, leading to flooding and damage to infrastructure. The impact of the cyclone was mitigated to some extent due to evacuation measures.