1970 Bhola cyclone facts for kids
| Category 3 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
The Bhola cyclone on November 11, 1970, at 0858 UTC.
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| Formed | November 7, 1970 |
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| Dissipated | November 13, 1970 |
| Highest winds | 10-minute sustained: 185 km/h (115 mph) 1-minute sustained: 205 km/h (130 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 966 hPa (mbar); 28.53 inHg |
| Fatalities | 300,000–500,000 (Deadliest tropical cyclone of all time) |
| Damage | $86.4 million (1970 USD) |
| Areas affected | India, East Pakistan |
| Part of the 1970 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
The 1970 Bhola cyclone was a very powerful storm. It was the strongest storm of the 1970 North Indian Ocean cyclone season. This cyclone hit East Pakistan, which is now known as Bangladesh.
The Bhola cyclone caused a huge disaster. It killed between 300,000 and 500,000 people. This makes it the deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded. Most people died in East Pakistan due to a massive storm surge. A storm surge is like a giant wall of water pushed onto land by the storm. This caused terrible flooding.
The Bhola cyclone is also one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history. It also affected parts of India. The storm caused about $86.4 million in damage.
Contents
What Was the Bhola Cyclone?
The Bhola cyclone was a type of storm called a tropical cyclone. It formed on November 7, 1970. The storm lasted for about six days, finally ending on November 13, 1970. It was a very strong storm with high winds.
Where Did the Cyclone Hit?
The main area hit by the Bhola cyclone was East Pakistan. This country is now called Bangladesh. The storm also caused damage in India. The coastal areas of East Pakistan were hit the hardest. This was because of the huge storm surge that came from the sea.
Why Was It So Deadly?
The main reason so many people died was the storm surge. The surge flooded many low-lying islands and coastal areas. People had little warning and nowhere safe to go. The storm's power and the lack of good warning systems made it very dangerous.
Related Storms
- Great Hurricane of 1780 - This was the deadliest hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Hurricane Pauline - This was the deadliest hurricane in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
