Characteristics of very severe cyclonic storm NARGIS over the bay of bengal during 27 April to 3 May 2008

Abstract

A very severe cyclonic storm crossed southwest coast of Myanmar near latitude 16.0°N between 1200 and 1400 UTC of 2 May 2008. It caused loss of more than 22,000 human lives in Myanmar. The special features of Nargis are given below. (i) The system continued to intensify even after the recurvature. (ii) The system moved almost in the easterly direction from 0600 UTC of 1 May till 1500 UTC of 2 May. (iii) The system maintained the intensity of very severe cyclonic storm for about 12 h after the landfall. (iv) It was the most devastating cyclone over the Bay of Bengal after the 1991 Bangladesh cyclone in term of loss of life and property. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.