The1964 Rameswaram cyclone(also known as theDhanushkodi cyclone) was regarded as one of the most powerful storms to ever strike India on record.[1]The system was first identified as anarea of low pressureover theAndaman Seaon December 15. Following interaction with atropical wave,it began to develop and became a depression by December 18. Increasingly rapid intensification ensued over the following days with the cyclone attaining hurricane-force winds around5°Nthe next day. Early on December 23, the storm struck Ceylon nearTrincomaleewith winds estimated at 240 km/h (150 mph), ranking it as a modern-day super cyclonic storm. Weakening somewhat, the storm soon struckTamil Nadu.Rapid weakening followed once the cyclone was onshore and it degenerated into a depression on December 24 as it emerged over theArabian Sea.The system later dissipated on December 26 over open water.
 Satellite image of the cyclone on December 21 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | December 18, 1964 |
| Dissipated | December 26, 1964 |
| Super cyclonic storm | |
| 3-minute sustained(IMD) | |
| Highest winds | 240 km/h (150 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | ≤970hPa(mbar); ≤28.64inHg |
| Category 5-equivalent tropical cyclone | |
| 1-minute sustained(SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 260 km/h (160 mph) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | ≤1,800 |
| Damage | $150 million (1964USD) |
| Areas affected | Ceylon,India |
Part of the1964 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
Meteorological history
edit
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
Extratropical cyclone,remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionOn December 15, 1964, anarea of low pressurewas identified over the southernAndaman Sea.Remaining nearly stationary,[2]atropical wavesoon interacted with the low and allowed the system to consolidate into a depression two days later.[3]A large area ofshowers and thunderstormscovered much of the southernBay of Bengaland Andaman Sea. On December 18, a ship with the callsignJMAGreported 45 km/h (30 mph) winds and abarometric pressureof 1005.5mbar(hPa; 29.69inHg). Based on this report, theIndia Meteorological Department (IMD)classified the system as a deep depression. Over the following days, the system quickly intensified as it began moving slowly westward. By December 19, it became a severe cyclonic storm and soon acquired hurricane-force winds early on December 20 while near5°N.[2]The cyclone became one of only a handful of system to attain such an intensity close to the equator.[3]Moving more west-northwesterly, the cyclone continued to deepen as it approached southern India.[2]On December 21, satellite imagery showed clouds from the storm covering an area roughly 965 km (600 mi) wide. Several prominentbanding featureswere present, with one such feature, extending over 240 km (150 mi) crossing theequatorwhile maintaining a cyclonic arc. Clouds associated with the cyclone extended as far as 485 km (301 mi) into theSouthern Hemisphere.[3]
Several vessels encountered the storm, with one reporting 110 km/h (70 mph) winds early on December 22. That day winds along the coast ofCeylonincreased; the storm accelerated during this time as well. Early on December 23, the cyclone struck the northern tip of Ceylon and turned back toward the west-northwest. According to an officer onPamban Island,located between Ceylon and Southern India, the storm'seyewas no more than 16 km (9.9 mi) wide.[2]Based on satellite imagery, it was estimated that the storm had peak winds of 240 km/h (150 mph), with gusts as high as 280 km/h (175 mph).[3]This ranked the system as a modern-day super cyclonic storm.[4]Additionally, the IMD estimated its central pressure to have been, at most, 970 mbar (hPa; 28.64 inHg).[2]The lowest observed pressure was 978 mbar (978 hPa; 28.9 inHg) inMannaron the west coast of Ceylon.[3]Weakening somewhat, the storm soon struckTamil Nadu,south of Tondi. Once onshore, the cyclone rapidly weakened, becoming a depression before emerging over theArabian Seaon December 24. The system degenerated into a remnant low later that day and dissipated over open waters on December 26.[2]
Impact
editAt least 1,800 people lost their lives as a result of the cyclone.[5][6][7]
On December 22, the powerful cyclone struck northern areas of Ceylon and caused catastrophic damage. According to survivors, astorm surgeof 4.5 m (15 ft) swept across the area. Initial reports stated that 250 people lost their lives with thousands missing.[8]About 5000 houses and 700 fishing boats were destroyed in theJaffna districtof Ceylon.[9]The district's paddy crop was also destroyed.[9]Other badly hit areas includeMannarandTrincomallee.[9]The Trincomallee port suffered severe damage rendering it inoperable.[9]The economic damage caused in Ceylon was estimated at Rs. 200 million. About 350 Ceylonese fishermen were missing at sea.[9]
At least 1,000 people were killed on the island and many more were left unaccounted for.[10]An unofficial estimate stated that the death toll would likely exceed 2,000.[8]The government regarded it as, "the greatest tragedy to ever hit Ceylon."[10]
The effects of the cyclone were felt mostly inPamban Island,which lies between the Indian mainland and Ceylon.[9]More than 3000 people, many of them tourists and pilgrims, were stranded on the island. The total damage to property was estimated at $150 million.[9]
On December 23, an estimated 7.6 m (25 ft)storm surgestruck the town of Dhanuskodi on the south-eastern edge of the island,[11]submerging the town and overturning the Pamban-Dhanuskodi passenger train killing all 200 passengers on board.[12]The town, an important transit point between India and Ceylon, was completely destroyed and has not been rebuilt since.[13]Prior to the cyclone, the town had been an important commercial centre with arailway station,a customs office, post and telegraphs office, two medical institutions, one railway hospital, a panchayat union dispensary, a higher elementary school and port offices.[14]A port had been functioning since 1 March 1914.[14]At least 800 people were killed in Dhanushkodi alone.[10]
Four radio operators remained in Dhanuskodi and risked their lives to continue broadcasting during the storm. Two railway employees patrolling thePamban Bridgesurvived by clinging to the bridge frame for 12 hours. The Indian Government later honored and rewarded them for their dedication.[15]
Aftermath
editThe scale of the disaster left villages isolated for at least three days and without food or clean water. Communication lines were severely damaged and hampered relief efforts. By December 26, relief supplies were delivered to 14 villages by the Ceylonese Air Force. Britain,Cuba,West Germany,and the United States offered aid to Ceylon.[8]
Reconstruction of the Pamban Bridge was deemed a priority and initially expected to take six months to complete. However,E. Sreedharan,an engineer tasked on the project, managed to have the railway bridge finished in 45 days. A stable road connection was built in the following years.[15]
InMandapam,the cyclone's surge created fivetidal poolsover a 2 km (1.2 mi) stretch of coastline. Three of the pools had higher than normalsalinitycoupled with below-averagesilicatecontent and were colonized byPeridinium.The other two featured opposite levels of salinity and silicate and were inhabited byPyrocystis fusiformis.All five featuredbioluminescenceas a result. A study of these pools in 1965 showed a, "clear succession of organisms", with species ofPenaeidae(Prawn), one species ofamphipoda,one species of crab, andAcetesinhabiting the pools. Researchers also found a fewSepioteuthisandtintinnid.Lastly, 46 species of coastal fish were documented.[11]Offshore, catastrophic damage occurred tocoral reefs,withEchinopora lamellosa,Montipora foliosa,andalcyonariansbeing killed in large numbers. At Manacadu Point, near Mandapam, an elevated coral colony ofFaviidsandPoriteswas completely wiped out. In the eight years following the storm, colonies showed substantial growth across thePalk Strait,withAcropora corymbosacovering 25–30% of the reefs. Colonies of alcyonarians showed little sign of rejuvenation, however. Along the immediate coastline, the large-scale stirring of sand made areas unsuitable for coral and were not expected to ever regrow.[16]
References
edit- ^A. D. Rao; S. K. Dube; P. Chittibabu (1994). "Finite Difference Techniques Applied to the Simulation of Surges and Currents Around Sri Lanka and Southern Indian Peninsula".International Journal of Computational Fluid Dynamics.3(1):71–77.Bibcode:1994IJCFD...3...71R.doi:10.1080/10618569408904500.
- ^abcdefIndia Meteorological Department (1964)."Annual Summary — Storms & Depressions: Severe cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal"(PDF).India Weather Review:30–34.RetrievedMay 12,2013.
- ^abcdeShashi M. Kulshrestha; Madan G. Gupta; Indian Meteorological Service (June 1966)."Satellite Study of the Rameswaram Cyclonic Storm of 20–23 December 1964".Journal of Applied Meteorology.5(3):373–376.Bibcode:1966JApMe...5..373K.doi:10.1175/1520-0450(1966)005<0373:SSOTRC>2.0.CO;2.
- ^"Cyclones, storm surges, floods, landslides"(PDF).Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery. September 2011. p. 9. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on April 26, 2012.RetrievedMay 12,2013.
- ^"Ceylon-India death toll now 1,800".The Milwaukee Sentinel.December 28, 1964. Archived fromthe originalon July 18, 2012.
- ^"At least 1,800 dead in India-Ceylon storm".Chicago Tribune.December 28, 1964.
- ^"1,800 Asians feared dead after cyclone and tidal wave".Reading Eagle.December 28, 1964.
- ^abc"Ceylon Cyclone: Thousands Homeless".Deseret News.New Delhi, India. Associated Press. December 26, 1964. p. 1.RetrievedMay 21,2014.
- ^abcdefg"Ships, planes search for survivors".The Age.Colombo. December 28, 1964.
- ^abc"Cyclone, Tidal Wave Kill 1,800 Fishermen".The Lincoln Star.New Delhi, India. United Press International. December 28, 1964. p. 18.
- ^abP. V. Ramachandran Nair; G. Luther; Clement Adolph (1965)."An ecological study of some pools near Mandapam (South India) formed as a result of the cyclone and tidal wave of 1964"(PDF).Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India.7(2):420–439.RetrievedMay 21,2014.
- ^Jaishankar, C. (24 December 2005)."Memory of the disaster still lingers".The Hindu.Archived fromthe originalon 5 January 2007.
- ^Srinivasan, Prasanna (3 June 2004)."Land's end".The Hindu.Archived fromthe originalon 14 October 2004.
- ^ab"Shattered in 1964, still remains so".The Hindu.June 15, 2002. Archived fromthe originalon May 21, 2014.
- ^abR. Sujatha (January 24, 2012)."When nature took over..."The Hindu.RetrievedMay 21,2014.
- ^C. S. Hopinadha Pillai (1975)."An assessment of the effects of environment and human interference on the coral reefs of Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar along the Indian Coast"(PDF).Seafood Export Journal.7(12):9–21.RetrievedMay 21,2014.