Impact of the Tropical Cyclone AILA Along the Coast of Bangladesh
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International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 8, Issue 12, December-2017 1592 ISSN 2229-5518 Impact of the tropical cyclone AILA along the coast of Bangladesh Mst. Rupale Khatun, Goutam Chandra Gossami, Shamima Akter, Mrinal Chandra Barman, Gour Chandra Paul Abstract— AILA, a category 1 cyclone, furiously hit south western coastal region of Bangladesh on 25 May 2009, killing 190 people, and left several injured. Even though AILA was a cyclonic storm by definition, but its impact was greater than that of the super cyclone SIDR that hit the coast of Bangladesh. Using information obtained from different sources, this study identified some reasons for the economic cost and sufferings for the coastal people resulting from storm surges. The casualties may be attributed to a number of physical characteristics of the cyclone such as duration of the storm and associated surges, landfall time and site, varied coastal ecology, and coastal embankment. This article recommends improvements to the cyclone warning systems and some measures for at least partial mitigation of storm surges along the coast of Bangladesh. Index Terms— AILA; Bay of Bengal; Cyclone; Non-linear interaction; Storm surge —————————— —————————— 1 INTRODUCTION Bangladesh is a low-lying country which is situated at the successful in recovering the situation and gives a sustainable northern tip of the Bay of Bengal. The coastal region of Bang- livelihood to the coastal people [8]. That is why we should ladesh is very complex, which is full of many small and big take some proper policy to mitigate the resulting damages as islands [1]. The geographical location makes the country vul- we cannot prevent this natural phenomenon. Bearing this fact nerable for the tropical cyclones and other hazards [2]. An in mind, we have pointed out some reasonable steps to mini- increasing number of tropical cyclones with associated surges mize the resulting damages from storm surges. But the always cause a considerable loss of many lives and properties mitigative measures are highly dependent on a proper warn- along the region of interest [3]. Mainly cyclones in November ing system, which in turn depends on an efficient storm surge 1970, 1985, April 1991, 1997, SIDR 2007, and AILA 2009 caused prediction model. a considerable death tools [4]. The cyclone AILA hit the south- The present study attempts to emphasize on a proper cyclone western part of Bangladesh in May 25, 2009 and caused about warning system based on a model simulation so that a consid- 190 deaths [5]. The residents,IJSER homesteads, roads and em- erable loss of lives and properties can be reduced through it. bankments were destroyed due to flood associated with the cyclone AILA. In total, over 3.9 million people were affected 2 STORM STATISTICS IN BANGLADESH and nearly 350,000 acres of crop land were destroyed [6]. It is pertinent to point out here that fishing, agriculture, shrimp Storm surges associated with intense tropical cyclones origi- farming, salt farming and tourism are the main economic ac- nating in the Bay of Bengal (BOB) are responsible for major tivities of this coastal area [7]. But cyclone AILA washed away devastation along the coastal region of Bangladesh. Debsarma all the houses, crops and agricultural land. The damage of the [9] notes that on average, 5-6 storms form in the BOB region infrastructure was huge; it also destroyed the livelihoods of each year, but with about 80% of the global casualties. How- the people. The government of Bangladesh is not always fully ever, the coast of Bangladesh situated at the northern tip of the BOB is treated as the word most venerable region. One of the ———————————————— major regions of vulnerability is its complex coastal geometry. Figure 1 is added here to clarify the fact. The region is also • M. R. Khatun, Department of Mathematics, Rajshahi University of Engi- neering & Technology, Rajshahi 6204, Bangladesh, E-mail: vulnerable due to some other factors found in [1]. However, [email protected] the number of deaths caused by the most severe tropical cy- • G. C. Gossami , Department of Mathematics, University of Rajshahi, clones originating in the BOB is shown in Fig. 1. The details of Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh, E-mail: [email protected] the number of deaths are also presented in tabular form in • S. Akter , Department of Mathematics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Table 1 for better understanding. Rahman Science & Technology University Gopalganj-8100, Bangladesh, E-mail: [email protected] 3 LIFE HISTORY OF AILA • G. C. Paul , Department of Mathematics, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh, E-mail: [email protected] According to the Bangladesh Meteorological department • M. C. Barman , Department of Mathematics, Mawlana Bhashani Science & (BMD), a low pressure area (low) was formed over southwest Technology University, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh, E-mail: Bay and adjoining area at noon of 21 May 2009. It then moved [email protected] northwards and intensified into a well-marked low over IJSER © 2017 http://www.ijser.o rg International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 8, Issue 12, December-2017 1593 ISSN 2229-5518 southwestern Bay and adjoining west central Bay at 0300 UTC TABLE 1 NUMBER OF DEATHS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE TROPICAL CY- of 23 May 2009. At 0900 UTC of the same day, the system in- CLONE ORIGINATING IN THE BAY OF BENGAL (SOURCE: BMD). tensified into a depression and moved northwards and after 2100 UTC of the same day, the system changed its movement Year Location Deaths direction and moved north-northeastwards and intensified 1822 Bangladesh 40.000 further into a deep depression. Then the system moved 1876 Bangladesh 100,000 northwards into northwest Bay and adjoining west central 1897 Bangladesh 175,000 Bay, intensified into a cyclonic storm AILA at 1200 UTC of 24 1912 Bangladesh 40,000 May 2009its movement direction and moved north- 1919 Bangladesh 40,000 northeastwards and intensified further into a deep depression. 1960 Bangladesh 5,149 Then the system moved northwards into northwest Bay and 1961 Bangladesh 11,468 adjoining west central Bay, intensified into a cyclonic storm 1963 Bangladesh 11,520 1965(11 AILA at 1200 UTC of 24 May 2009. After that AILA moved Bangladesh 19,279 May) northwards till 0300 UTC of 25 May 2009 and then north- 1965(31 northwestwards and finally northwards to West Bengal- Bangladesh 12,000 May) Khulna (Bangladesh) coast. At about 0800 UTC of 25 May, the 1970 Bangladesh 500,000 system started crossing West Bengal-Khulna (Bangladesh) 1985 Bangladesh 11 069 coast near Sagar Island of India and then moved continuously 1991 Bangladesh 138,868 northwards. At about 1200 UTC, the central position of the 2007 Bangladesh 5000-10000 system positioned over Kolkata (India) and adjoining areas of 2009 Bangladesh 190 India and Bangladesh but the remaining part of AILA was still crossing the coast. During the next 3-4 hours, the system completed crossing the coast and lay centered at West Bengal and adjoining western parts of Bangladesh. Then the system ing the passage of cyclone AILA is shown in Table 3. The cy- moved northwards, weakened into a land depression by clone AILA furiously hit the Satkhira and Khulna and the giving precipitation and positioned over West Bengal and worst affected upazilas of Khulna district are Koyra and adjoining northwestern parts of Bangladesh at 0600 UTC of 26 Dacope. According to the official statistics of Unnayan May 2009. The time series for the positions and the nature of Onneshan about 545,954 people of 118,757 families are affect- the cyclone AILA is shown in Table 2. The track of the cyclone ed in Khulna while death toll stands AILA is shown in Fig. 3 for better understanding, where the on 45 as of 3 June 2009 [5]. The damage due to cyclone AILA is data were received from the BMD, whereas Fig. 4 shows AILA shown in Fig. 9-10. As of 29 May, government figures indicate at peak intensity. 4 DAMAGE DUE TO AILA IJSERIN BANGLADESH The cyclone AILA hit south-western coastal region of Bangla- desh frantically on 25 May 2009 and moved in northerly direc- tion in course of its life period. Its intensification was prompt a few hours before landfall and retained that intensity even up to 15 hours after landfall [10]. The storm dissipated into low- laying districts, namely Khulna, Satkhira, Patuakhali, Jhalakathi, Laxmipur, Bagerhat, Barisal, Barguna, Pirojpur, Jessore and Bhola along the coastal region of Bangladesh hav- ing maximum sustained wind speed 120 kmh−1 [11]. It caused about 190 human deaths on coastal residents as well as a heavy loss of livestock’s [5]. Standing crops on vast tracts of land were smashed, innumerable trees were uprooted. Ac- cording to daily newspaper (The Daily Star, May 26, 2009), thousands of people were made homeless as tidal waves leap- ing up to 13 feet high Low-lying areas of the coastal districts, offshore islands and chars were inundated by the flood due to Fig. 1 A picture of the northern part of the BOB covering the area the storm associated surges. The tidal waves also spoiled river οο− οο− 15 23 N Latitudes and 85 85 E Longitudes (After Murshed and flood-control embankments and dykes and submerged [22]). many villages of coastal districts of Bangladesh. Power supply snapped and the communication system was cut off between the capital and all affected southern districts. Recorded wind speed and direction in different observatories of the BMD dur- IJSER © 2017 http://www.ijser.o rg International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 8, Issue 12, December-2017 1594 ISSN 2229-5518 TABLE 2 TIME SERIES FOR THE POSITIONS AND THE NATURE OF THE CY- CLONE AILA, 2009.