Cyclone Sidr
| Extremely severe cyclonic storm (IMD scale) | |
|---|---|
| Category 5 (Saffir–Simpson scale) | |
Cyclone Sidr in the Bay of Bengal near peak intensity
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| Formed | November 11, 2007 |
| Dissipated | November 16, 2007 |
| Highest winds |
3-minute sustained: 215 km/h (130 mph) 1-minute sustained: 260 km/h (160 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 944 hPa (mbar); 27.88 inHg |
| Fatalities | ~15,000 total |
| Damage | $1.7 billion (2007 USD) |
| Areas affected | Bangladesh and West Bengal, India |
| Part of the 2007 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
Cyclone Sidr (JTWC designation: 06B, also known as Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Sidr) was a tropical cyclone that resulted in one of the worst natural disasters in Bangladesh. The fourth named storm of the 2007 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Sidr formed in the central Bay of Bengal, and quickly strengthened to reach peak 1-minute sustained winds of 260 km/h (160 mph), making it a Category-5 equivalent tropical cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. The storm eventually made landfall in Bangladesh on November 15, 2007, causing large-scale evacuations. 3,447 deaths were blamed on the storm.
Save the Children estimated the number of deaths associated with the cyclone to be between 5,000 and 10,000, while the Red Crescent Society reported on November 18 that the number of deaths could be up to 10,000. International groups pledged US$95 million to repair the damage, which was estimated at $1.7 billion (2007 USD).
On November 9, an area of disturbed weather developed southeast of the Andaman Islands, with a weak low-level circulation near the Nicobar Islands. Initially moderate upper-level wind shear inhibited organization, while strong diffluence aloft aided in developing convection. Vertical shear decreased greatly as the circulation became better defined, and a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert was issued on November 11 while located a short distance south of the Andaman Islands. Around the same time, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) designated the system as Depression BOB 09. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) upgraded it to Tropical Cyclone 06B after Dvorak estimates indicated winds of 65 km/h (40 mph). Later that day, it intensified into a deep depression as it moved slowly north-westward.
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