Tropical cyclones in Myanmar explained

At least 29 tropical cyclones have affected Myanmar, a country adjacent to the Bay of Bengal in mainland Southeast Asia. Myanmar has witnessed some of the deadliest storms in the Bay of Bengal, including Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, which struck the low-lying Irrawaddy Delta near Yangon. Its winds and storm surge killed an estimated 140,000 people and left nearly $10 billion in damage. The country's worst natural disaster in the 20th century was a cyclone in 1968, which killed more than 1,000 people when it hit Rakhine State in northwestern Myanmar. One of the most powerful storms to ever hit the country was Cyclone Mocha, which it moved ashore northwestern Myanmar in May 2023, killing at least 413 people.

Climatology

On average, a tropical cyclone makes landfall on Myanmar every year, although before 2000, the average was once every three years.^[1]

List of storms

The list below contains all storms sorted by their year of formation.

1900s

• May 9, 1968 – A cyclone struck northwestern Myanmar near Sittwe, becoming the country's worst natural disaster at the time. The storm killed at least 1,037 people, and left 297,768 people homeless after the storm destroyed more than 57,000 houses.^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}
  • November 1989 – Cyclone Gay May 19, 1992 – A cyclonic storm struck Rakhine State, killing at least 27 people. The storm destroyed 433 homes and also killed many livestock.^{[6] [7]}
• November 21, 1992 – Cyclone Forrest made landfall in Rakhine State with winds of 155–.^[8]
• May 2, 1994 – A powerful cyclone hit southeastern Bangladesh, killing 17 people in Myanmar. The storm damaged or destroyed 8,872 houses, as well as dozens of schools and hospitals, with damage estimated at K60 million (US$10 million).^[9]
• November 25, 1995 - A cyclonic storm struck southeastern Bangladesh and later moved into northern Myanmar, damaging crops in Rakhine State.^{[10] [11]}
• October 25, 1999 - A developing cyclonic storm brushed southwestern Myanmar, killing 10 people and displacing 10,000 families.^[12]

2000s

• May 11, 2002 – A deep depression made landfall just east of Yangon, producing winds of 47km/h.^[13]
• May 18, 2002 – A tropical depression struck Rakhine State, according to the Thai Meteorological Department.^[13]
• May 19, 2003 – A cyclonic storm struck western Myanmar near Kyaukpyu, bringing heavy rainfall.^{[14] [15]}
• May 19, 2004 – An extremely severe cyclonic storm made landfall in Rakhine State with winds of 165abbr=onNaNabbr=on.^[16] Officially, there were 236 deaths in the country, although there were unconfirmed reports of a death toll as high as 1,000. Damage totaled over K621 million kyat ($99.2 million USD).^{[17] [18]} On May 27, the Myanmar government issued a rare appeal for aid to the international community in response to damage from the storm.^[19]
• April 29, 2006 – Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Mala hit Rakhine State, killing 37 people.
• May 15, 2007 – Cyclone Akash produced storm surge flooding in Rakhine State after it struck Bangladesh.^[20] including 2ha of destroyed lands of shrimp farms.^[21]
• May 2, 2008 – Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Nargis made landfall in the low-lying Irrawaddy Delta near Yangon, killing an estimated 140,000 people, making it among the deadliest tropical cyclones on record, and becoming the country's worst natural disaster on record. The IMD estimated a landfall intensity of 165abbr=onNaNabbr=on (3-minute sustained). Nargis also produced a 12abbr=onNaNabbr=on storm surge. Myanmar was largely unprepared for the cyclone, lacking shelters and an early warning system. The cyclone damaged or destroyed more than 700,000 homes, leaving more than 1 million people homeless. Damage was estimated at over US$10 billion. In the ten years after the cyclone, Myanmar installed radar and observation stations while improving its early warning system.^{[22] [23] [24]}
• April 17, 2009 – A tropical depression, formerly Cyclone Bijli, struck Bangladesh, and later brought heavy rainfall to northern Myanmar.^[25]
• October 22, 2010 – Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Giri made landfall in Rakhine State, killing 157 people, with damage estimated at Ks.2.34 billion (US$359 million). About 53,000 people evacuated ahead of the storm.^{[26] [27] [28]}
• October 20, 2011 – A deep depression moved ashore near the border of Bangladesh and Myanmar. It dropped heavy rainfall, causing floods in northwestern Myanmar that killed 215 people.^[29]
• May 16, 2013 – A cyclonic storm, operationally named Mahasen and later renamed Viyaru, struck Bangladesh, bringing rainfall and high waves to northwestern Myanmar. Ahead of the storm, nearly 70,000 people evacuated.^{[30] [31] [32]}
  • October 2013 – Phailin July 30, 2015 – After forming near the coast of Bangladesh, Cyclone Komen moved back over land, bringing heavy rainfall to northwestern Myanmar after weeks of monsoonal floods. The storm killed 39 people and caused an estimated K1.942 trillion (US$1.51 billion) in damage.^{[33] [34] [35]}
• May 2016 – Roanu
• August 20, 2016 – Tropical Depression Dianmu moved through northern Myanmar days after striking northern Vietnam.^[36]
  • October 2016 – Kyant April 16, 2017 – Cyclonic Storm Maarutha struck Rakhine State, becoming the first ever recorded April landfall in the country. Maarutha killed four people in Ayeyarwady Region.^{[37] [38]}
• May 30, 2017 – Cyclone Mora struck southeastern Bangladesh, killing four people in Myanmar, including two from a tornado. Mora damaged or destroyed over 19,000 buildings.^{[39] [40] [41] [42]}
• May 29, 2018 – A deep depression hit Rakhine State, causing winds and rains that destroyed more than 500 houses.^{[43] [44]}

• March 22, 2022 – A deep depression moved ashore western Myanmar, becoming the first system to do so during April. It dropped heavy rainfall in the Coco Islands.^[45]
• May 20, 2022 – A depression struck southeastern Myanmar near Mawlamyine, bringing heavy rainfall to the region.^[45]
• May 14, 2023 – Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Mocha made landfall just north of Sittwe with 3-minute sustained winds of 215abbr=onNaNabbr=on.^{[46] [47]} Mocha killed at least 413 people in the country, with hundreds of people missing.^[48]

See also

• List of Bangladesh tropical cyclones
• Tropical cyclones in India
• List of tropical cyclones in Pakistan

Notes and References

1. Web site: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal .
2. News: May 9, 1994. Killer cyclone. 8. The Times. May 22, 2021.
3. News: May 9, 1993. Datebook for May 9, 1993. 10. Vidette-Messenger of Porter County. May 22, 2021.
4. Web site: United States Agency for International Development (USAID). May 1968. May 21, 2021. CYCLONE, BURMA DISASTER RELIEF, MAY 1968.
5. News: May 16, 1968. Burma Cyclone Dead Said 800. 15. The Lincoln Star. May 22, 2021.
6. News: Xinhua General News. May 27, 1992. Yangon, Myanmar. Storm kills 27 persons in western Myanmar state.
7. News: Agence France-Presse. Bangkok, Thailand. May 26, 1992. 27 killed by heavy storm in western Burma.
8. Web site: 1992 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report. Joint Typhoon Warning Center. May 19, 2023.
9. Myanmar Cyclone May 1994 UN DHA Information Reports 1 – 2. ReliefWeb. May 21, 2019. May 1994. United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs.
10. Human Rights Watch. September 1996. 8. 8. The Rohingya Muslims: Ending a Cycle of Exodus?. Burma Library. 2015-12-04.
11. India Meteorological Department. January 1996. Report on cyclonic disturbances over north Indian Ocean during 1995. 2015-11-23.
12. International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies. Orissa, India: Cyclone Information Bulletin No. 1. ReliefWeb. 2 January 2017. 30 October 1999.
13. Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary – May 2002. Gary Padgett. March 26, 2013.
14. News: Myanmar Times. Cyclone brings an early monsoon. Myo Theingi Cho. 9. 167. 2003-06-01. 2014-04-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20140502001958/http://myanmartimes.tripod.com/cgi-bin/search.pl?id=28&view=detail&search=May%202003. 2014-05-02.
15. Web site: John Wallace. Gary Padgett. Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary May 2003. 2003. 2014-04-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006091856/http://www.australiasevereweather.com/cyclones/2003/summ0305.htm. 2014-10-06. live.
16. Report on Cyclonic Disturbances Over North Indian Ocean During 2004. India Meteorological Department. January 2005. 2015-05-24. 2015-04-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402104124/http://www.rsmcnewdelhi.imd.gov.in/images/pdf/archive/rsmc/2004.pdf. live.
17. Web site: Cyclone Nargis Update. Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance. 2008-05-08. 2015-05-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20150324140735/http://apheda.org.au/news/files/Cyclone_Nargis_Update_05_05_200811.pdf. 2015-03-24. dead.
18. International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies. 2004-06-08. Myanmar: Cyclone Rakhine Appeal No. 14/2004 Operations Update No. 1. ReliefWeb. 2015-05-25. 2015-05-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20150526052903/http://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/myanmar-cyclone-rakhine-appeal-no-142004-operations-update-no-1. live.
19. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 2004-05-27. Myanmar: Storm OCHA Situation Report No. 1. ReliefWeb. 2015-05-25. 2015-05-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20150526051141/http://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/myanmar-storm-ocha-situation-report-no-1. live.
20. Web site: Nizam Ahmed. Nurul Islam. Aung Hla Tun. 2007. Tidal surge floods Bangladesh coastal villages. 2007-05-15. 2007-09-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20070927183244/http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/JBRN-738GAF?OpenDocument&rc=3&cc=bgd. live.
21. Web site: The Daily Star. 2007. 3 killed, 50 missing as cyclone Akash makes landfall. 2007-05-15. 2007-05-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20070518032559/http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/05/16/d7051601044.htm. live.
22. Reduced death rates from cyclones in Bangladesh: what more needs to be done?. Ubydul Haque. Masahiro Hashizume. Korine N Kolivras. Hans J Overgaard. Bivash Das. Taro Yamamoto. March 16, 2011. October 12, 2020. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. October 5, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201005083126/https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/90/2/11-088302/en/. dead.
23. News: 10 years after, Cyclone Nargis still holds lessons for Myanmar. May 2, 2018. The Conversation. October 15, 2020. October 20, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201020041346/https://theconversation.com/10-years-after-cyclone-nargis-still-holds-lessons-for-myanmar-95039. live.
24. The impact of Cyclone Nargis on the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River delta shoreline and nearshore zone (Myanmar): Towards degraded delta resilience?. Manon Besseta. Edward J. Anthony. Philippe Dussouilleza. Marc Goichotb. 349. 6–7. October–November 2017. Comptes Rendus Geoscience. 2021-08-23. 2020-02-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20200209134839/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1631071317301074. live.
25. News: Associated Press . The China Post . April 18, 2009 . April 18, 2009 . Cyclone Bijli spares Myanmar, Bangladesh . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161220081646/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/other/2009/04/19/204837/Cyclone-Bijli.htm . December 20, 2016 .
26. Web site: The Associated Press . The New York Times . October 25, 2010 . October 26, 2010 . 27 Were Killed in Cyclone, Myanmar Government Says . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180430002912/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/world/asia/26myanmar.html?_r=1 . April 30, 2018 .
27. Web site: Than Htike Oo . Myanmar Times . November 5, 2010 . November 5, 2010 . Housing and livelihoods top priorities for Giri victims . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101110221245/http://www.mmtimes.com/2010/news/548/news54813.html . November 10, 2010 .
28. Web site: Narinjara . November 2, 2010 . November 2, 2010 . List of Damages and Deceased Caused by Cyclone Giri in Pauktaw Township . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101105133426/http://www.narinjara.com/details.asp?id=2786 . November 5, 2010 .
29. Web site: Than Win Htut. Democratic Voice of Burma. October 24, 2011. November 11, 2011. Burma flooding deaths top 200. https://web.archive.org/web/20111229070738/http://www.dvb.no/news/burma-flooding-deaths-top-200/18344. December 29, 2011. dead.
30. Web site: Xinhua General News. May 16, 2013. May 16, 2013. Nearly 70,000 evacuated in Myanmar western state amid storm threat. Yangon, Myanmar. https://web.archive.org/web/20130516061526/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-05/16/c_132386288.htm. dead. May 16, 2013.
31. Paul Vrieze . Htet Naing Zaw . The Irrawaddy. May 16, 2013. May 16, 2013. Cyclone Mahasen Misses Burma, Bringing Relief to Displaced Rohingyas. Sittwe, Myanmar.
32. India Meteorological Department . 2014 . April 10, 2014 . National Workshop on Enhanced and Unique Cyclonic Activity during 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140413131119/http://www.imd.gov.in/doc/nationalworkshop.pdf . April 13, 2014 .
33. Cyclone Komen weakens, heavy rainfall continues across Myanmar. New Light of Myanmar. July 31, 2015. February 29, 2016. ReliefWeb. December 18, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151218120236/http://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/cyclone-komen-weakens-heavy-rainfall-continues-across-myanmar. live.
34. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. March 10, 2016. March 22, 2016. Disasters in Asia and the Pacific: 2015 Year in Review. ReliefWeb. April 8, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160408195221/http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/2015_Year%20in%20Review_final_PDF_0.pdf. live.
35. Government of the Union of Myanmar. November 2015. March 15, 2016. Myanmar: Post-disaster needs assessment of floods and landslides July - September 2015. World Bank.
36. Tropical Storm Dianmu . RSMC Tropical Cyclone Best Track . September 21, 2016 . September 21, 2016 . live . Japan Meteorological Agency . https://archive.today/20240522100637/https://www.webcitation.org/6kge97bMz?url=http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/advisories/AXPQ20-RJTD_201609210400.htm . May 22, 2024 .
37. Web site: Cyclonic Storm,'Maarutha' over the Bay of Bengal (15-17April 2017): A Report . April 19, 2017.
38. News: 4 killed as Cyclone Maarutha hits Irrawaddy Delta. June 1, 2017. May 31, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170602105548/http://www.dvb.no/news/4-killed-cyclone-maarutha-hits-irrawaddy-delta/75157. June 2, 2017. dead.
39. Web site: After deadly tornado spawned by Mora, Rakhine State braces for more bad weather. August 30, 2017.
40. Web site: Cyclone Mora: Urgent shelter needs in Bangladesh, Myanmar. 2 June 2017. The UN Refugy Agency.
41. News: Cyclone Mora Wreaks Devastation Along Myanmar's West Coast, Killing One. May 31, 2017. Radio Free Asia. June 14, 2017.
42. Web site: Cyclone Mora damaged or destroyed 20,000 houses in Burma. 2 June 2017. reliefweb.
43. Annual Report on Cyclonic Disturbances over North Indian Ocean in 2018. July 2019. July 4, 2020. India Meteorological Department.
44. News: Strong wind destroys over 500 houses in Myanmar's Yangon region. https://web.archive.org/web/20180530070549/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-05/30/c_137217240.htm. dead. May 30, 2018. May 30, 2018. January 30, 2021. Xinhua.
45. India Meteorological Department. May 19, 2023. Report on Cyclonic Disturbances Over North Indian Ocean During 2022.
46. Web site: Powerful Cyclone Mocha makes landfall in Myanmar, tearing off roofs and killing at least 3. AP News. Julhas. Alam. 14 May 2023. 14 May 2023. 14 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230514074821/https://apnews.com/article/cyclone-mocha-bangladesh-myanmar-06512b0f496bf85c926f12925ab1ba7e. live.
47. warn. 15. 01B. Mocha. tc. 14 May 2023. 14 May 2023. 14 May 2023. https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/io0123web.txt=. http://web.archive.org/web/20230514000000/https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/io0123web.txt=. Alt URL
48. Web site: Death toll seen rising in Myanmar's Rakhine state in aftermath of Cyclone Mocha . Radio Free Asia . 17 May 2023.