.jpg) Cyclonic Storm Nilam at landfall near peak intensity on October 31, 2012 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | October 28, 2012 |
| Dissipated | November 1, 2012 |
| Cyclonic storm | |
| 3-minute sustained (IMD) | |
| Highest winds | 85 km/h (50 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 987 hPa (mbar); 29.15 inHg |
| Tropical storm | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 95 km/h (60 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 985 hPa (mbar); 29.09 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 75 total |
| Damage | ≥$56.7 million (2012 USD) |
| Areas affected | Sri Lanka, South India |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2012 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
Cyclonic Storm Nilam was the deadliest tropical cyclone to directly affect South India since Cyclone Jal in 2010. Originating from an area of low pressure over the Bay of Bengal on October 28, 2012, the system began as a weak depression 550 km (340 mi) northeast of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Over the following few days, the depression gradually intensified into a deep depression, and subsequently a cyclonic storm by October 30. It made landfall near Mahabalipuram on October 31 as a strong cyclonic storm with peak winds of 85 km/h (55 mph).[1] In Chennai's Marina Beach, strong winds pushed piles of sand ashore and seawater reached nearly a 100 m (330 ft) inland. Schools and colleges in the city remained closed for more than three days.[2]
More than 3000 people were evacuated around Mahabalipuram in the wake of the storm. Schools and colleges in Chennai declared holidays until November 1 as 282 schools had been converted into relief centers. Government offices and private organizations closed their operations by 3 p.m. to ease traffic congestion. Cyclone shelters had been arranged in Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts. Mahabalipuram faced power outages and 90 trees were uprooted and two huts were damaged.[3] While damages to property were considerable, human casualties were very few.[4] Nilam was initially estimated to have caused economic losses of around ₹700 million (US$8.4 million) to ₹800 million (US$9.6 million).[5] The figures soon went up to ₹100 crore (US$12 million).[6] Later, as the Andhra Pradesh government conducted their review on the storm, it was revealed that the state suffered huge economic losses of ₹200 crore (US$24 million).[7]
In Bangalore, heavy rains and strong winds felled over 86 trees. One fell on the compound wall of a police commissioner's residence, causing structural damage. In Basava Road, a tree pulled down power lines, along with six electric poles outing power in the locality. Over 3,000 tonnes of debris was cleared out using 285 trucks. 87.5 millimetres (3.44 in) of rainfall was recorded in the city with a maximum sustained windspeed of 47 km/h (29 mph).[8]
- ^ "CWIND advisory 21 for Cyclonic Storm Nilam" (PDF). India Meteorological Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 18, 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
- ^ "Video: Cyclone Nilam: 1 dead in TN, five Andhra districts still on alert". CNN IBN, YouTube. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
- ^ Dasgupta, Sabyasachi (31 October 2012). "Cyclone Nilam makes landfall south of Chennai". NDTV. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
- ^ Ramakrishnan, T. (1 November 2012). "Cyclone Nilam spares Chennai". The Hindu.
- ^ Narasimhan, T. E. (November 2012). "Cyclone Nilam takes a toll on TN". Business Standard. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
- ^ Narasimhan, T. E. (2 November 2012). "Tamil Nadu picks up after Nilam surge". Business Standard. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
ap damagewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Cyclone Nilam: Wet, windy spell takes a toll on Bangalore's tree cover". Diligent Media Corporation Ltd. Retrieved 2 November 2012.