Stormy affair: Odisha's tryst with 10 Cyclones in 23 years

New Delhi, May 06: Odisha currently bracing for fresh cyclone Asani in the coming week. Odisha has so far encountered 10 cyclones in a span of 23 years and the frequency of such natural disasters is only on the rise, official records of the State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) showed.

Memories of the 1999 super cyclone is still fresh, wind speed of which could not be properly ascertained at the meteorological centre, Bhubaneswar, as the velocity crossed the capacity of the anemometer available then.

After the 1999 disaster, which left over 10,000 people dead, the state had experienced another major calamity in cyclone Phailin. It made landfall near Gopalpur in Ganjam district on October 12, 2013, becoming the second strongest tropical cyclone in India since the 1999 one.

Here is a list of the cyclones that hit Odisha since Super Cyclone 1999

1. 1999 Super Cyclone

The 1999 Odisha cyclone was the strongest recorded tropical cyclone in the North Indian Ocean and among the most destructive in the region. It made landfall in Odisha on 29 October. According to reports, around 9887 people lost their lives in this cyclone and thousands got displaced. Diarrhoea and cholera saw increased incidences following the storm's impact.

2. Cyclone Phailin - 2013

Extremely severe cyclonic storm Phailin was the most intense tropical cyclone to make landfall in India since the 1999 Odisha cyclone. The death toll in this cyclone stood at 45. Around 14,514 villages in 12 south and coastal districts were affected. Majorly affected districts in Odisha were Ganjam, Puri and Khordha.

3. Cyclone Hudhud- 2014

Hudhud was a strong tropical cyclone, which caused damage to Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Visakhapatnam or Vizag along with Odisha was mostly affected by Hudhud. At least 124 people had lost their lives as strong winds and heavy rain swept across the state bringing in massive destruction.

4. Cyclone Titli:

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Titli was a deadly and destructive tropical cyclone that made landfall on October 10, 2018, on the southwest coast of Gopalpur near Palasa in Andhra Pradesh. However, eight districts in Odisha such as Ganjam, Gajapati, Khordha, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore were affected by the cyclone.

A total of seventy-seven people were killed in the state due to heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding and landslides.

5. Cyclone Fani:

The extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani hit Odisha coast in Puri on May 3, 2019 with a wind speed of around 175 kmph. The extent of damage due to Fani was estimated to be over Rs 11,942 crore. The cyclone caused massive destruction to forests and environment. According to government sources, Fani had killed 64 people and affected 140,000 hectare crop area.

6 Cyclone Bulbul:

Bulbul was the second cyclone in 2019. The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Bulbul struck the eastern state on November 9, 2019, near Sagar Island in West Bengal. The storm caused extensive damage to agriculture and destroyed crops in around 490,000 acres of land statewide. Two people also lost their lives in the storm.

7. Cyclone Amphan:

The Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan was a powerful and deadly cyclone, causing damage in Eastern India and Bangladesh in May 2020. It made landfall near Bakkhali in West Bengal on May 20, 2020. The cyclone, which was the first pre-monsoon super cyclone of this century, claimed lives and damaged property in Odisha and West Bengal. It also affected at least 44.45 lakh people in 9833 villages and 22 urban bodies.

8. Cyclone Yaas:

The Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan was a powerful and deadly cyclone, causing damage in Eastern India and Bangladesh in May 2020. It made landfall near Bakkhali in West Bengal on May 20, 2020. The cyclone, which was the first pre-monsoon super cyclone of this century, claimed lives and damaged property in Odisha and West Bengal. It also affected at least 44.45 lakh people in 9833 villages and 22 urban bodies.

9 Cyclone Gulab:

This was the second cyclone in the year 2021. Gulab was a tropical cyclone and was named by Pakistan. It affected the coasts of south Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh.

10. Cyclone Jawad:

This was the third cyclone of 2021 after Yaas and Gulab. The Cyclonic Storm Jawad was a weak tropical cyclone that caused major disruptions over Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal in India while bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds over these states as a weakened system.