 Cyclone Phet near peak intensity on June 2 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 31, 2010 |
| Dissipated | June 7, 2010 |
| Very severe cyclonic storm | |
| 3-minute sustained (IMD) | |
| Highest winds | 155 km/h (100 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 964 hPa (mbar); 28.47 inHg |
| Category 4-equivalent tropical cyclone | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS) | |
| Highest winds | 230 km/h (145 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 929 hPa (mbar); 27.43 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 47 total |
| Damage | >$861 million (2010 USD) |
| Areas affected | Oman, Pakistan, India |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2010 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Phet was a powerful tropical cyclone that made landfall on Oman, Western India, and Pakistan. The third named cyclone of the 2010 cyclone season, Phet developed in the Arabian Sea on May 31 to the west of India. With conducive environmental conditions, the storm intensified to reach peak sustained winds of 155 km/h (95 mph) on June 2, based on analysis by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). On the next day, Phet dropped heavy rainfall while moving across eastern Oman, with a peak of 603 mm (23.7 in) in Qurayyat. The rains flooded arid areas and collected into wadis – normally dry river beds. Thousands of homes were wrecked across Oman. There were 24 fatalities in the country, and damage was estimated at US$780 million.
After exiting Oman on June 4, Phet turned to the northeast and later to the east while continuing to weaken. The residual thunderstorms spread ahead of the circulation over Pakistan, producing 370 mm (15 in) of rainfall at Gwadar. In the city, the storm washed away houses and flooded the port, On June 6, Phet moved ashore the country near Karachi, a city of 16 million people, where several neighborhoods were flooded and power outages lasted over 12 hours. Across Pakistan, the storm killed 16 people and left $81 million in damage. Phet continued into western India, where it degenerated into a remnant low-pressure area. In the country, storm rainfall killed five people, as well as dozens of animals.