CYCLONE AMPHAN AND SUNDARBAN: A PROBABLE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF STORM SURGE INUNDATION

Description

Amphan (pronounced as UM-PHUN) which means sky in Thai is the only other “super-cyclone” to have hit northeastern India since Bhola super cyclone in 1971. AMPHAN crossed Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) and went across to the Sundarbans between 16.30 & 18.30 hrs IST of 20th May with a wind speed of 260 kmph. This powerful cyclone prompted an immediate evacuation of 3 million residents from Odisha and West Bengal owing to the vulnerability of the deltas. Assessing the atrocity of the cyclone, it was enlisted as a category 5 cyclone which includes the deadliest ones. Originating from relatively dry air, the inner ring of Amphan which is called an eyewall contained powerful winds, resulting in heavy downpour. The intense kinetic energy of Amphan thrusted huge amounts of water into several creeks and estuaries in the world’s largest delta. The cyclone intensified rapidly within a very short duration, true to the predictions of IMD. This has been argued by many scientists to be caused by global warming.