October 1996 India cyclone
| Severe cyclonic storm (IMD scale) | |
|---|---|
| Category 1 (Saffir–Simpson scale) | |
Satellite image of the cyclone off the west coast of India
|
|
| Formed | October 22, 1996 |
| Dissipated | October 28, 1996 |
| Highest winds |
3-minute sustained: 110 km/h (70 mph) 1-minute sustained: 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 976 hPa (mbar); 28.82 inHg |
| Fatalities | 388 |
| Damage | $128.5 million (1996 USD) |
| Areas affected | Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat |
| Part of the 1996 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
The October 1996 India cyclone (also known as Cyclone 05A) had an unusual and protracted path that spanned much of the northern Indian Ocean. It originated in a weather disturbance that formed on October 14 in the southern Bay of Bengal, off India's east coast. Moving westward, it struck Andhra Pradesh on October 17 as a well-defined low pressure area. It crossed southern India and reorganized in the Arabian Sea off the western coast of India. The system developed into a depression on October 22 and quickly intensified while moving northward. By October 24, the cyclone approached hurricane intensity as it developed an eye, reaching peak winds of at least 110 km/h (70 mph). On October 25, the storm abruptly stalled and weakened off Gujarat, and progressed southwestward as a minimal storm. It was no longer classifiable as a tropical cyclone by October 28, although its remnants persisted until November 2 when they dissipated east of Somalia.
In southern India, the storm dropped heavy rainfall that caused severe flooding in Andhra Pradesh. At least 112 reservoirs and dams were breached, killing 200 people in Prakasam district. The floodwaters ruined about 1,600,000 ha (4,000,000 acres) of crops and damaged around 53,000 houses, leaving thousands homeless. The floods killed 388 people in southern India and caused US$388 million in damage. The storm later brushed the west coast of India, stranding 50 boats. The Indian military helped with relief and rescue efforts. Another cyclone struck Andhra Pradesh in November, causing additional damage and deaths.
The long-tracked storm originated from the monsoon trough, which spawned an area of convection, or thunderstorms, in the southern Bay of Bengal on October 14. It moved to the west-northwest and later to the west without much development. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) classified the system as a well-marked low pressure area before the system moved over the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on October 17. The system slowly crossed southern India, emerging into the Arabian Sea on October 21. That day, the convection organized into a circular cluster as the circulation became more defined. The system slowed and turned to the north around the periphery of a ridge to the east. The system organized into a depression on October 22, the same day that the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) classified it as Tropical Cyclone 05A.
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