Damage Potential of Tropical Cyclone

Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC)- Tropical Cyclone, New Delhi

Cyclone Warning Division
India Meteorological Department
Mausam Bhavan, Lodi Road, New Delhi
 Damage Potential of Tropical Cyclone

Cyclonic disturbances are classified depending upon the wind speed

around the circulation centre. Satellite cloud imageries are used along with other
meteorological features to estimate the intensities and the wind speed associated
with these intense systems. The satellite cloud configurations, expressed by ‘T'
numbers, have unique relationship with wind field of a cyclonic disturbance. The
wind speed, condition of sea and wave height associated with ‘T' numbers of
various categories of cyclonic disturbances, are given in Table 1.

Table 1. : Categorisation of Cyclonic Disturbances

S. Intensity Strength of wind Satellite condition Wave

No. ‘T’ No. of Sea height
(m)
1. Depression 31- 49 kmph 1.5 Moderate to 1.25-2.5
(17-27 knots) Rough 2.5-4.0
2. Deep Depression 50 – 61 kmph 2.0 Very Rough 4.0-6.0
(28-33 knots)
3. Cyclonic Storm 62 – 87 kmph 2.5-3.0 High 6.0-9.0
(34-47 knots)
4. Severe Cyclonic 88-117 kmph 3.5 Very High 9.0-14.0
Storm (48-63 knots)
5. Very Severe (i) 118-167 kmph 4.0-4.5 Phenomenal Over
Cyclonic Storm (64-90 knots) 14.0
(ii) 168-221 kmph 5.0–6.0 Phenomenal
(91-119 knots)
6. Super Cyclonic 222 kmph and 6.5 and Phenomenal Over
Storm more (120 knots more 14.0
and more)

The strong winds, heavy rains and large storm surges associated with
tropical cyclones are the factors that eventually lead to loss of life and property.
The expected impacts in association with storm of different
categories/intensities are summarized below.
.
1.Winds

The damages produced by winds

are extensive and cover areas
occasionally greater than the areas of
heavy rains and storm surges which are
in general localized in nature. The
impact of the passage of the cyclone
eye, directly over a place is quite
different from that of a cyclone that

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Damage caused by very severe cyclonic storm ‘Nargis’
does not hit the place directly. The latter affects the location with relatively
unidirectional winds i.e. winds blowing from only one side, and the lee side is
somewhat protected. An eye passage brings with it rapid changes in wind
direction, which imposes torques and can twist the vegetation or even structures.
Parts of structures that were loosened or weakened by the winds from one
direction are subsequently severely damaged or blown down when hit upon by
the strong winds from the opposite direction. A partial eye passage can also do
considerable damage, but it is less than a total eye passage.
As tropical cyclones have a circular shape, an eye passage over a
location exposes it to the maximum possible duration of destructive winds. The
higher wind is also associated with convectively active eye-wall region and has
higher wind gusts than outside it. The gustiness effect is amplified over land
where friction reduces sustainable wind but not the peak gust. This widens the
gap between the peak and the lull of the gusts even more, creating strong
negative pressure forces on lee-side of buildings especially damaging metal
sheet and wooden structures. Strong wind also exposes roofs to strong lifting
forces. The typical damage to buildings is due to failure of roofing systems. Loss
of roof irrespective of the material used, leads to water damage of the walls.
When the roofs get blown off, the exterior walls lose the support provided by the
roofing systems and collapse even in lesser wind intensity.
Winds are stronger in the right semi-circle with reference to the direction of
motion of the cyclonic storm in the Northern Hemisphere. Occasionally, very
strong winds are also encountered to the left side of the storm with respect to its
motion. The total damage is significantly greater than that from the relatively
unidirectional winds of a near miss with comparable intensity.
Under the action of wind flow, structures experience aerodynamic forces
that include the drag force acting in the direction of the mean wind, and the lift
force acting perpendicular to that direction. The structural response induced by
the wind drag is commonly referred to as the ‘along wind' response. It has been
recognized that in the case of modern tall buildings which are more flexible, lower
in damping, and lighter in weight than older structures, the natural frequency of
vibration may be in the same
range as the average frequency
of occurrence of powerful gusts
and therefore large resonant
motions induced by the wind may
occur. This must be taken into
consideration in design of
cyclone resistant buildings.
Many of the overhead
communication networks are
susceptible to damage when the
winds reach 85 Kts (158 Kmph),
This is especially the case for
secondary telephone lines.
Damage caused by very severe cyclonic storm ‘Nargis’

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 Microwave towers are susceptible to misalignment when winds reach 85
Kts (158 Kmph). This affects local telephone, cellular service and long distance
service. Microwave and radio towers are susceptible to destruction when winds
reach 100 Kts (186 Kmph). At higher wind speed even larger antennas are also
vulnerable and are blown off. Even large satellite communication dishes can be
damaged in cyclones with sustained wind speeds of 135 Kts (251 Kmph).
Coastal roads/locations are vulnerable to damage from inundation/waves run-up.
The most detrimental hazards to roadways are uprooted trees, power poles and
lines, and debris falling on roads and blocking them. This becomes a serious
problem when winds reach 80 Kts (149 Kmph) or more.

2 Rainfall

Rains (sometimes even more than 30 cm per 24 hrs) associated with

cyclones are another source of damage. Unabated rains give rise to
unprecedented floods. Rain water on the top of storm surge may add to the fury
of the storm. Rain is a serious problem for the people who become shelterless
due to a cyclone. It creates problems in post cyclone relief operations.
On the infrastructure front, the
most critical problem after passage of
any tropical cyclone is the restoration of
water distribution system. Strong winds
along with heavy rains accompanied
with floods/storm surge associated with
the cyclone, devastate the critical parts
Flood caused by Orissa super cyclone of the power generation and distribution
systems. Even the strongest port and
airport facilities, fuel and water storage
tanks, high voltage transmission tower,
etc., are vulnerable to damage.
Flood cause by Orissa Super Cyclone

Rainfall is generally very heavy and spread over a large area thus leading
to excessive amount of water, which leads to flooding. Soil erosion also occurs
on a large scale. Heavy rains log the ground and cause softening of the ground
due to soaking. This contributes to weakening of the embankments, the leaning
over of utility poles or collapse of pole type structures.

3 Storm Surge.

Storm surge is the single major cause of devastation from tropical storms.
Though, the deaths and destruction are caused directly by the winds in a tropical
cyclone as mentioned above, these winds also lead to massive piling of sea
water in the form of what is known as storm surge that lead to sudden inundation

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and flooding of coastal regions. The surge is generated due to interaction of air,
sea and land. When the cyclone approaches near the coast, it provides the
additional force in the form of very high horizontal atmospheric pressure gradient
and which leads to strong surface winds. As a result, sea level rises and
continues to rise, as the cyclone moves over shallower waters and reaches a
maximum on the coast near the point of landfall. Storm surge is inversely
proportional to the depth of sea water. The depth varies from about 500 m at
about 200 N in the north central Bay to about 5 m along the West Bengal-north
Orissa coast. Because of the vast shallow continental shelf, the storm surges get
amplified significantly in these areas. The northward converging shape of the Bay
of Bengal provides another
reason for the enhanced storm
surge in these areas.
There is another cause of
sea level rise, viz., astronomical
tide, which is well known. The
rise due to high tide may be as
high as 4.5 m above the mean
sea level at some parts of Indian
coast. The worst devastation is
caused when the peak surge
occurs at the time of high tide.
As the leading edge of
the storm surge crashes against
Storm surge caused by Very severe cyclonic storm ‘Nargis’

the coastline, the speed of the surge places great stress on the walls. The debris
like uprooted trees, fences and parts of broken houses, act as battering rams and
cause further damage. The sand and gravel carried by the moving currents at the
bottom of the surge can cause sand papering action of the foundations. The
huge volume of water can cause such pressure difference that the house "floats"
and once the house is lifted from the foundations, water enters the structure that
eventually collapses.
The probable maximum storm surges for different coastal districts of India
are shown in the figure below.

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 The expected damage associated with the cyclonic disturbances of
different intensities along with action suggested is given in Table.2

Table 2. Storm Intensity, Expected Damage and Suggested Actions

Action Suggested
Intensity Damage expected
Deep Depression Fishermen advised not to
Minor damage to loose and
50 – 61 kmph venture into the open seas.
unsecured structures
(28-33 knots)
Damage to thatched huts.
Cyclonic Storm Breaking of tree branches Total suspension of fishing
62 – 87 kmph causing minor damage to operations
(34-47 knots) power and communication
lines
Extensive damage to Total suspension of fishing
thatched roofs and huts. operations. Coastal hutment
Severe Cyclonic Storm Minor damage to power and dwellers to be moved to safer
88-117 kmph communication lines due to places. People in affected areas
(48-63 knots) uprooting of large avenue to remain indoors.
trees. Flooding of escape
routes.
Extensive damage to kutcha Total suspension of fishing
Very Severe Cyclonic houses. Partial disruption of operations. Mobilise evacuation
Storm power and communication from coastal areas. Judicious
118-167 kmph line. Minor disruption of rail regulation of rail and road traffic.
(64-90 knots) and road traffic. Potential People in affected areas to
threat from flying debris. remain indoors.
Flooding of escape routes.
Extensive damage to kutcha
houses. Some damage to Total suspension of fishing
old buildings. Large-scale operations. Extensive
Very Severe Cyclonic disruption of power and evacuation from coastal areas.
Storm communication lines. Diversion or suspension of rail
168-221 kmph Disruption of rail and road and road traffic. People in
(91-119 knots) traffic due to extensive affected areas to remain
flooding. Potential threat indoors.
from flying debris.
Extensive structural damage
to residential and industrial
buildings. Total disruption of Total suspension of fishing
communication and power operations. Large-scale
Super Cyclone supply. evacuation of coastal
Extensive damage to bridges population. Total suspension of
222 kmph and more rail and road traffic in vulnerable
(120 knots and more) causing large-scale
areas. People in affected areas
disruption of rail and road to remain indoors.
traffic. Large-scale flooding
and inundation of sea water.
Air full of flying debris.