LANDFALL
1. Context
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the landfall process of Cyclone Biparjoy started near Jakhau port in the State's Kutch district on Thursday evening and continued till midnight.
2. Key points
- The Cyclone crossed Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan).
- The Gujarat government has so far shifted more than 94, 000 people living in eight coastal districts to temporary shelters.
- It has also issued prohibitory orders, shut down public transport and advised people to remain indoors.
- Two teams each of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in Gujarat, While teams of the Army and Indian Air Force have also been kept on standby.
3. About the landfall of a cyclone
- Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone coming onto land after being over water.
- As per the IMD, a tropical is said to have made landfall when the centre of the storm or its eye moves over the coast.
- Crucially a landfall should not be confused with a "direct hit", which refers to a situation where the core of high winds (or eyewall) comes onshore but the centre of the storm may stay remain offshore.
- As per the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), because the strongest winds in a tropical cyclone are not located precisely at the centre, a cyclone's strongest winds can be experienced over land even if landfall does not occur.
4. The damage caused by a cyclone's landfall
- The damage caused by the landfall will depend on the severity of the cyclone marked by the speed of its winds.
- For Cyclone Biparjoy, classified by the IMD as a "very severe cyclonic storm", the impact may include extensive damage to Kutcha houses, partial disruption of power and communication lines, minor disruption of rail and road traffic, the potential threat from flying debris and flooding of escape routes.
- The factors behind this kind of damage include extremely strong winds, heavy rainfall and the storm surge which cause devastating floods on the coast.
5. Duration of the landfall
- Landfalls can last for a few hours, with their exact duration depending on the speed of the winds and the size of the storm system.
- Cyclone Biparjoy's land process is expected to last around five to six hours, with the cyclone almost completely dissipating over approximately the next 24 hours.
- Cyclones lose their intensity once they move over land because of a sharp reduction of moisture supply and an increase in surface friction.
- This means that while landfalls are often the most devastating moments of cyclones, they also mark the beginning of their end.
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For Prelims: Cyclone, Landfall, Biparjoy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Indian Meteorological Department,
For Mains:
1. What is the Landfall of a cyclone? Discuss its duration and Explain why it causes severe damage. (250 Words).
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Previous Year Questions
1. Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2020)
1. Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.
2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.
3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10°C lesser than that of the surroundings.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only B. 2 and 3 only C. 2 only D. 1 and 3 only
Answer: C
2. The acidification of oceans is increasing. Why is this phenomenon a cause of concern? (UPSC 2012)
1. The growth and survival of calcareous phytoplankton will be adversely affected.
2. The growth and survival of coral reefs will be adversely affected.
3. The survival of some animals that have phytoplanktonic larvae will be adversely affected.
4. The cloud seeding and formation of clouds will be adversely affected.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1, 2 and 3 only B. 2 only C. 1 and 3 only D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: A
3. Arrange the following India Meteorological Headquarters in Chronological order of their establishment and select your correct answer from the codes given below: (UPPSC 2018)
A. New Delhi
B. Kolkata
C. Shimla
D. Pune
1. C D A B 2. B A D C 3. D B C A 4. B C D A
Answer: 4
4. Directions: In this section, each item consists of six sentences of a passage. (CDS 2022)
The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled as P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly on the Answer Sheet.
S1: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) was established in 1975.
S6 : These predictions have an effect on the Indian economy that belies any belief that the economy of our country is not solely dependent on agriculture and the rains that feed it.
P : The Meteorological Department is perhaps also burdened with the most critical form of soothsaying i.e., forecasting the monsoon.
Q : The Crop Yield Formation Unit of the department has developed statistical models using correlation and regression techniques.
R : The IMD issued the first operational long range forecast of seasonal south-west monsoon rainfall in India in 1986.
S : It is the natural meteorological service and the principal agency in all matters related to meteorology.
The correct sequence should be:
1. RSPQ 2. SRQP 3. SQRP 4. PQRS
Answer: 2
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Source: The Indian Express
