 Cyclone 04B at peak intensity making landfall in Sri Lanka on November 23 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | November 17, 1978 |
| Dissipated | November 29, 1978 |
| Super cyclonic storm | |
| 3-minute sustained (IMD) | |
| Highest winds | 220 km/h (140 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 938 hPa (mbar); 27.70 inHg |
| Category 2-equivalent tropical cyclone | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 175 km/h (110 mph) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | ~1000 |
| Damage | $627 million (1978 USD) |
| Areas affected | Eastern Province, Sri Lanka |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1978 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
The 1978 Sri Lanka Cyclone (JTWC designation: 04B) was one of the most destructive tropical cyclones to strike Sri Lanka since modern records began. The cyclone formed on November 17, 1978, and attained peak intensity on November 23, 1978, right before making landfall in Batticaloa. Sri Lanka's eastern province was heavily affected by the cyclone.[1]