1970 Bhola Cyclone

[Ptarmigan]

Tropical Storm Nora was a short lived storm over the South China Sea moved inland into Vietnam and later on Cambodia and Laos. The remnant of Nora ends up in the Indian Ocean and the water is very warm. This cluster of thunderstorm forms a circulation and becomes a tropical depression on November 7th. The tropical depression begns to strengthen into a tropical storm. Then it becomes a hurricane or in that part of the world, a tropical cyclone, which is a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean.

The tropical cyclone has sustained winds of 125 to 130 mph, which is a Category 3 hurricane. It is in the Bay of Bengal and moves north towards East Pakistan, which is present day Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is a low lying nation with the Ganges River Delta. The river delta makes the area very fertile, which is why that region is densely populated. Many people choose to live there because it is great for agriculture and fishing. On the night of November 12th, the tropical cyclone makes landfall and storm surge as high as 40 feet starts to ravage East Bangladesh.

Heavy rain pelts the area. Many people are not aware that a tropical cyclone is hitting them. Once the tropical cyclone passes and dissipates over the Himalayas, it leaves devastation of epic proportions. There is widespread flooding and rotten corpses floating. Also, diseases, like cholera and malaria spreads and causes epidemics.

At least 500,000 people are dead, mostly in the Bhola province and islands in the Delta, where more than 100,000 people died. Perhaps the death toll could go as high as 1.1 million. It is considered the worst hurricane on record and one of the worst disasters in recent in the modern era and 20th century. Many bodies were never recovered and were likely washed out to sea. The Pakistani government was slow to respond after the disaster.

In March 26, 1971, war breaks out, the Bangladesh Liberation War, which leads to independence and the formation of the nation of Bangladesh after December 16, 1971. Bangladesh is a nation formed by tropical cyclones or hurricanes because of the Bhola Cyclone. The Ganges River Delta is very vulnerable to hurricanes because it is low lying and the Bay of Bengal is very shallow, an ideal place for storm surge. Indian Ocean tropical cyclones are usually small, but deadly because they hit densely populated areas and often they are poor. In April of 1991, another tropical cyclone hits Bangladesh and claims 145,000 lives. The 1970 Bhola Cyclone remains the deadliest tropical cyclone to this day.

Wikipedia-Bhola Cyclone
Wikipedia-Bangladesh Liberation War
Banglapedia- Liberation war of Bangladesh

[Derek Ortt]

a note about the 1991 cyclone

That caused the 150K deaths, despite the evacuation of millions

[Aslkahuna]

Should be noted that India played an important role both in the Laggardly response of Pakistan (since they would not let Pakistani Military aircraft carrying relief supplies through Indian Airspace) and in the later war by providing material assistance to the Bengalis as well as blocking Paki reinforcements from the Bay of Bengal. Gotta love those Peace loving nations (at the time India was giving us a rash of crap over Vietnam).

Steve

[Ptarmigan]

Should be noted that India played an important role both in the Laggardly response of Pakistan (since they would not let Pakistani Military aircraft carrying relief supplies through Indian Airspace) and in the later war by providing material assistance to the Bengalis as well as blocking Paki reinforcements from the Bay of Bengal. Gotta love those Peace loving nations (at the time India was giving us a rash of crap over Vietnam).

Steve

Not surprised by it.

[Ptarmigan]

I am going to bump this thread to mark the anniversary of this horrific disaster.

[RL3AO]

Hopefully the list of horrific disasters will not be getting company this week.

[Ptarmigan]

Hopefully it the list of horrific disasters will not be getting company this week.

Same here.

[Cyclone1]

Nothing short of an absolute tragedy. Hope and pray that Sidr is nothing like this beast.

[HurricaneBill]

What worsened the Bhola Cyclone's storm surge was the fact that it made landfall at the peak of high tide. The moon had completed a lunar cycle and the tide was forecasted to be above average. Add the storm surge to the above-average high tide and you have a horrific disaster.

[Squarethecircle]

Sidr's, however, could be huger by itself. Wouldn't it be just awful if Sidr killed an enormous amount of people within a few days of the anniversary?

[Coredesat]

Should be noted that India played an important role both in the Laggardly response of Pakistan (since they would not let Pakistani Military aircraft carrying relief supplies through Indian Airspace) and in the later war by providing material assistance to the Bengalis as well as blocking Paki reinforcements from the Bay of Bengal. Gotta love those Peace loving nations (at the time India was giving us a rash of crap over Vietnam).

Steve

I know I am replying to an old post, but ironically, the Bhola cyclone helped trigger the war between India and Pakistan that resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.