Cyclone Thane

Cyclonic Storm Thane (06B)
Very severe cyclonic storm (IMD scale)
Category 2 (Saffir–Simpson scale)

Cyclone Thane over the Bay of Bengal close to the Indian coast on December 29, while near its peak intensity
Formed December 25, 2011
Dissipated December 31, 2011
Highest winds 3-minute sustained: 140 km/h (85 mph)
1-minute sustained: 165 km/h (105 mph)
Lowest pressure 969 hPa (mbar); 28.61 inHg
Fatalities 48 total
Damage $235 million (2011 USD)
Areas affected Southern India, Sri Lanka
Part of the 2011 North Indian Ocean cyclone season

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Thane (IMD designation: BOB 05, JTWC designation: 06B, also known as Cyclone Thane) was the strongest tropical cyclone of 2011 within the North Indian Ocean. Thane initially developed as a tropical disturbance within the monsoon trough to the west of Indonesia. Over the next couple of days the disturbance gradually developed further while moving towards the northwest, and was declared a Depression during December 25, before being declared Cyclonic Storm Thane during the next day. As it was named, Thane started to turn towards the west under the influence of a subtropical ridge of high pressure before its development slowed down during December 27, as a strong outflow and marginally favourable sea surface temperatures fought with persistent vertical wind shear. After its development had slowed down during December 27, Thane became a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm during December 28, before as it approached the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, it weakened slightly. Thane then made landfall early on December 30, on the north Tamil Nadu coast between Cuddalore and Puducherry and rapidly weakened into a depression.The Thane cyclone was one of the most dangerous cyclones in Indian history.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the track and intensity of the storm according to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale
Thane on December 27 as a Cyclonic Storm

On December 23, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) reported that a tropical disturbance had developed within the monsoon trough about 1540 km (960 mi) to the east of Medan in Indonesia.[1][2] Convection surrounding the system had started to consolidate over a weak low level circulation centre, that was being fed by an enhanced westerly flow associated with the precursor system to Tropical Cyclone Benilde.[1][2] Over the next couple of days the disturbance gradually developed further while moving towards the northwest, with a Madden–Julian oscillation increasing the system boundary layers rotation.[2] The JTWC then issued a tropical cyclone formation alert on the system during December 25 before designating as Tropical Cyclone 06B later that day as 1-minute wind speeds near the centre reached 65 km/h (40 mph) which is equivalent to a tropical storm.[3][4] The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also reported during December 25 that the disturbance had organised sufficiently to be declared Depression BOB 05, while it was located about 1,000 km (620 mi) to the southeast of Chennai, India.[5]

Early on December 26, the IMD reported that the depression had intensified into a Deep Depression, before later that day reporting that it had intensified into a cyclonic storm and named it Thane.[6][7] As it was named, Thane started to turn towards the west under the influence of a subtropical ridge of high pressure before its development slowed as strong outflow and marginally favourable sea surface temperatures fought with persistent easterly vertical wind shear.[8][9] Early on December 28, the JTWC reported that Thane had become equivalent to a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with 1-minute sustained windspeeds of 120 km/h (75 mph), while an eye feature had become visible on microwave imagery.[10] Later that day the IMD reported that Thane had become the first Very Severe Cyclonic Storm of the season, with 3-minute sustained windspeeds of 120 km/h (75 mph).[11] During December 28, Thane continued to intensify, and developed a small pinhole eye of about 20 km (10 mi), before the JTWC reported that Thane had peaked early on December 29 with 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 165 km/h (105 mph).[12][13] The IMD then followed suit and reported that the system had peaked as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm with 3-minute sustained windspeeds of 140 km/h (85 mph).[14][15] During the rest of that day, the system continued to move westwards and weakened slightly as it started to interact with land.[16] Thane then made landfall as a borderline very severe cyclonic storm during December 30 on the north Tamil Nadu coast between Cuddalore and Puducherry. After it had made landfall, frictional forces made Thane rapidly weaken into a depression. As a result, the JTWC issued their final advisory during December 30, while the IMD continued to monitor the remnants of Thane until the depression weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area early on December 31.[17]

Preparations and Impact

Tamil Nadu and Puducherry

An uprooted tree after Thane hits Puducherry

As of the morning of December 31, Cyclone Thane had left at least 46 dead in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. About 7 deaths were reported in pondicherry and 39 people have been reported dead in Cuddalore. Cuddalore and Puducherry were the worst affected by Thane. The storm made Cuddalore inaccessible by damaging road network and the National Disaster Response Force and fire and rescue services had difficulty in reaching the cyclone affected fishing hamlets.[18] The cyclone severely damaged the power network in cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu and puducherry and it is estimated that 4500 transformers were damaged in cuddalore district alone.

Fishing activities had come to a complete halt in the cities of Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram in the wake of the storm after the warnings by the weather department were received. About 10,000 fishing boats were moved to safer locations in all fishing hamlets in these areas. Chennai Corporation kept its four permanent relief centers (Basin Bridge, Chintadripet, Gopalapuram and Perambur Barracks Road) ready to accommodate people in case of evacuation due to torrential rains. People from low-lying areas were shifted to community centers with adequate arrangements of food and medical round the clock.[19]

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa ordered the immediate release of ₹ 150 crore towards relief and restoration of infrastructure damaged by the Cyclone Thane. She also directed the District Collectors, Deputy Collectors and department Secretaries to assess the extent of the damage caused by Cyclone Thane.[20]

Andhra Pradesh

700 fishermen were reported to be stranded near the Nizampatnam Bay area due to the rough sea conditions near the coast due to the cyclone. Owners had asked the government as well as the National Coast Guard for the fishermen's search and rescue after they could not communicate with them.[19]

The former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy instructed all the district collectors of the concerned districts of the state, mainly Nellore and Prakasam districts to take all precautionary measures in the wake of the approaching storm. APSRTC was asked to keep sufficient buses in reserve in case of evacuation of the people.[21] Officials reported that food stocks, drinking water, emergency power etc. were kept ready in reserves.[21]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Joint Typhoon Warning Center. "Significant Tropical Weather Advisory for the Indian Ocean 2011-12-23 03z". United States Navy, United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2011-12-23. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
  2. 1 2 3 Joint Typhoon Warning Center. "Significant Tropical Weather Advisory for the Indian Ocean 2011-12-24 03z". United States Navy, United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2011-12-24. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
  3. ↑ Joint Typhoon Warning Center (2011-12-25). "Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert 2011-12-25 11z". United States Navy, United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2011-12-25. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  4. ↑ Joint Typhoon Warning Center (2011-12-25). "Tropical Cyclone 06B (Thane) Warning 2011-12-25 21z". United States Navy, United States Air Force. Archived from the original on December 26, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  5. ↑ Regional Specialised Meteorological Center New Delhi, India. "Special Tropical Weather Outlook for the North Indian Ocean 2011-12-25 15z". India Meteorological Department. Archived from the original on 2011-12-25. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  6. ↑ Regional Specialised Meteorological Center New Delhi, India. "Special Tropical Weather Outlook for the North Indian Ocean 2011-12-26 03z". India Meteorological Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-12-26. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  7. ↑ Regional Specialised Meteorological Center New Delhi, India (2011-12-26). "Special Tropical Weather Outlook for the North Indian Ocean 2011-12-26 21z". India Meteorological Department. Archived from the original on December 27, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  8. ↑ Joint Typhoon Warning Center (2011-12-27). "JTWC Tropical Cyclone 06B (Thane) Warning 2011-12-27 03z". United States Navy, United States Air Force. Archived from the original on December 27, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  9. ↑ Joint Typhoon Warning Center (2011-12-28). "JTWC Tropical Cyclone 06B (Thane) Warning 2011-12-28 03z". United States Navy, United States Air Force. Archived from the original on December 28, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  10. ↑ Joint Typhoon Warning Center (2011-12-28). "JTWC Tropical Cyclone 06B (Thane) Warning 2011-12-27 09z". United States Navy, United States Air Force. Archived from the original on December 28, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  11. ↑ "IMD Tropical Cyclone Thane Advisory Number:15 2011-12-28 15Z". Regional Specialised Meteorological Center New Delhi, India. India Meteorological Department. 2011-12-28. Archived from the original on December 28, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  12. ↑ Joint Typhoon Warning Center (2012-05-05). "Tropical Cyclone 06B (Thane) Best Track Analysis". United States Navy, United States Air Force. Retrieved 2012-05-05.
  13. ↑ Joint Typhoon Warning Center. "Tropical Cyclone 06B (Thane) Warning 2011-12-28 09z". United States Navy, United States Air Force. Archived from the original on December 29, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  14. ↑ Regional Specialised Meteorological Center New Delhi, India. "Tropical Cyclone Thane Advisory Number:20 2011-12-29 06z". India Meteorological Department. Archived from the original on December 29, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  15. ↑ Regional Specialised Meteorological Center New Delhi, India (2012-01-03). Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “Thane” over the Bay of Bengal (December 25-31, 2011) (PDF) (Report). India Meteorological Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-31. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  16. ↑ "Tropical Cyclone 06B (Thane) Warning 2011-12-28 09z". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. United States Navy, United States Air Force. Archived from the original on December 29, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  17. ↑ Regional Specialised Meteorological Center New Delhi, India. "Tropical Cyclone Thane Advisory Number:37 2011-12-31 03z". India Meteorological Department. Archived from the original on 2011-12-31. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
  18. ↑ "Cyclone Thane toll now 46, life limps back to normalcy". Chennai, India: Deccan Herald. December 31, 2011. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  19. 1 2 Prasad, Ayyappa (2011-12-29). "Cyclone Thane: 700 fishermen stranded". TruthDive. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
  20. ↑ "Jaya releases Rs 150 crore for cyclone relief". IBNLive. 2011-12-30. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
  21. 1 2 IBN Live (2011-12-28). "Cyclone Thane: Food, medicines ready". IBN Live. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
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