Tropical Cyclones. Climatology and Impacts in the South Pacific. -

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Cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons

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Cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons

Photo title: Cyclone Nargis approaches Myanmar

Photo credit: Sentinel Asia - Flood Monitoring Service

Tropical Cyclones are low pressure systems that form over warm tropical waters and have gale force winds (sustained winds of 63 km/h or greater and gusts in excess of 90 km/h) near the centre. Severe tropical cyclones are called hurricanes or typhoons in some parts of the world. Tropical cyclones are dangerous because they produce destructive winds, heavy rainfall with flooding and damaging storm surges that can cause inundation of low-lying coastal areas.

Storm surges and tides

Photo title: Storm Surge with cyclone

Photo credit: Bureau of Meteorology, Australian Government

Potentially, the most destructive phenomenon associated with tropical cyclones that make landfall is the storm surge. In Myanmar, on 3 May 2008, a storm surge from Cyclone Nargis of a 3.5 m high wave flooded low lying regions of the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) Delta. The removal of mangrove forests, which serve as a buffer between the rising tide, big waves and storms and residential areas contributed to the death toll. Saltwater flooding of the delta will damage future planting of rice for the foreseeable future.

For more information on Cyclone dangers and impacts, storm surge and tides, naming of cyclones and the severity categories of Tropical cyclones, See More .
With acknowledgement to the Bureau of Meteorology, Australian Government.

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Books (1)

Title

Tropical Cyclones. Climatology and Impacts in the South Pacific. ( BOOK )

Author(s) / Editor(s)

Terry, J. P.

Description

This book describes the behaviour of tropical cyclones in the South Pacific (including Australia) and investigates the broad range of disturbance effects these violent storms have on the physical environments of the islands that lie in their path and the people who live on them. It is the first book to link these two themes – the characteristics of cyclones and their landscape impacts.

Keywords

SOUTH PACIFIC;

FIJI;

TONGA;

SOLOMON ISLANDS. FRENCH POLYNESIA;

COOK ISLANDS;

PACIFIC ISLANDS;

AUSTRALIA;

CYCLONES;

CLIMATOLOGY;

IMPACT;

ISLANDS