Natural Hazards (Case Study) Cyclone Nargis Flashcards
Where did the storm form and hit?
Formed in the Bay of Bengal during the last week in April. As it approached the coast in Myanmar it strengthened to a Category 4 cyclone.
When did it hit and with what characteristics?
On May 2nd it hit the coast of Myanmar with wind speeds of around 215 km/h and a storm surge of 5m, with storm waves adding another 2m on top of this.
Which area was worst affected, and what other country?
The Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmar was the hardest hit area because the cyclone hit it head on. A large proportion of it is only just above sea level and over 14,000 km^2 of land was flooded.
Sri Lanka was also affected by heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides.
What were the social impacts of the cyclone?
More than 140,000 people were killed.
450,000 houses were destroyed and up to 2.5 million people were left without shelter.
4000 schools and 75% of health facilities were destroyed or severely damaged.
43% of freshwater ponds were damaged by salt water. Almost 70% of people had no access to clean water.
What were the economic impacts of the storm?
Over 6000 km^2 of agricultural land was damaged including rice paddies.
Crops and farm animals were lost and over 40% of food stores were destroyed.
The total cost of damage was around US $4 billion.
What was the environmental impact of Cyclone Nargis?
380 km^2 of mangrove forest lost.
Why was the response to the tropical storm poor?
Myanmar doesn’t have a dedicated hurricane monitoring centre. Indian weather agencies warned Myanmar’s government that Cyclone Nargis was likely to hit the country 48 hours before it did, and Myanmar’s weather forecasters issued warnings via TV and radio. However, they didn’t say how severe it would be or give any advice on how to prepare or evacuate.
Why was the government partly at falt for the slow response?
The government initially refused to accept any foreign aid. On the 9th of May they decided to accept aid donations of things like food and tents and organisations such as the UN refugee agency and charities sent shelters, water purification tablets, first aid kits, blankets and food parcels.
What was the problem with Myanmar being ruled by the military?
They seized some aid, and some was turned away. Aid workers were not allowed into the country until 19th May, more than two weeks after the disaster. The delay in accepting international aid greatly increased the number of deaths.
