Cyclone Amphan
HEADLINES:
IMD warns of Bay of Bengal cyclone on May 16
WHY IN NEWS:
No prediction whether Cyclone Amphan would make India landfall
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 1 :Geography
LEARNING:
For PRELIMS it is important to understand the naming procedure of cyclones and the reason of its occurrence !
For MAINS Bay of Bengal is prone to so many disturbances than Arabian Sea ! Can you explain it with five strong points ?
ISSUE:
FORMATION OF THE CYCLONE AMPHAN:
- A low-pressure area over south-east Bay of Bengal and the south Andaman sea — formed on May 13, 2020 morning — may result in the subsequent formation of a cyclone by May 16 evening, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
- The low-pressure area is likely to move towards central parts of south Bay of Bengal and intensify into a depression by May 15.
- The cyclone will likely initially move in the north-western direction and then curve towards the north-east.
- IMD has not given any information about a possible landfall of the cyclone in India or anywhere else yet.
- This is the second low-pressure area to form in the region in the past two weeks.
- The intensification of the low-pressure area was delayed and eventually fizzled out, starting from May 6. This was because of a strong vertical shear — the change in winds from the surface to the upper atmosphere that suppress cyclones — according to IMD.
SUPER CYCLONE :
WHY SUPER CYCLONE?
- The cyclone AMPHAN intensified into a Super Cyclone around noon today, the 18th May, 2020.
OTHER SUPER CYCLONES :
- The other two super cyclones were Cyclone Kyarr in 2019 and Cyclone Gonu in 2007.
- Cyclone Amphan may bring sea water around 25 kilometres inland because of a storm surge of four to six metres.
HOW THEY MEASURE ?
- Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) at Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) is used to track speed of the cyclone Amphan.
LANDFALL ?
- It is expected to cross West Bengal–Bangladesh coasts between Digha(West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sundarbans during afternoon/evening of 20th May 2020.
- It will hit land as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm with wind speed of 165-175 kmph gusting to 195 kmph.
- It will cause heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over Gangetic West Bengal and heavy to very heavy rainfall over north coastal Odisha on 19th and 20th.
- Storm surge of about 4-6 meters above astronomical tide is likely to inundate low lying areas of south & north 24 Parganas and about 3-4 meters over the low lying areas of East Medinipur districtofWest Bengalduring the time of landfall.
- This cyclone has extensive damaging potential. It will cause extensive large scale damage.
DAMAGE AND DESTRUCTION :
(i) Damage expected over West Bengal (east Medinipur, south & north 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hoogli, Kolkata districts) and action suggested
- Extensive damage to all types of kutcha houses, some damage to old badly managed Pucca structures. Potential threat from flying objects.
- Extensive uprooting of communication and power poles. Disruption of rail/road link.
- Extensive damage to standing crops, plantations, orchards.Blowing down of Palm&coconut trees.
- Uprooting of large bushy trees. Large boats and ships may get torn from their moorings.
FISHERMEN WARNING & ACTION SUGGESTED:
- Total suspension of fishing operations during 18th to 20th May 2020.
- Diversion or suspension of rail and road traffic.
- People in affected areas to remain indoors. Mobilise evacuation from Low lying areas.
- Movement in motor boats and small ships not advisable.
(ii) Damage expected over Odisha (Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Jajpur & Mayurbhanj)
- Total destruction of thatched houses/ extensive damage to kutcha houses. Potential threat from flying objects. Bending/ uprooting of power and communication poles.
- Major damage to Kutcha and Pucca roads. Minor disruption of railways, overhead power lines and signalling systems.
- Widespread damage to standing crops, plantations, orchards, falling of green coconuts and tearing of palm fronds. Blowing down of bushy trees like mango.
- Small boats, country crafts may get detached from moorings.
FISHERMEN WARNING & ACTION SUGGESTED:
· Total suspension of fishing operations during 18th to 20th May 2020.
· Diversion or suspension of rail and road traffic.
· People in affected areas to remain indoors.
· Movement in motor boats and small ships not advisable.
IASbhai WINDUP:
The rapid intensification of Cyclone Amphan from a cyclone to a super cyclone in about 40 hours might be a sign of a warming Bay of Bengal, a consequence of anthropogenic global warming.
A low-pressure area earlier formed on May 1, but did not further intensify, despite the IMD’s prediction of it intensifying into a depression.