MAY KHIN CHAW

1
NARGIS Storm Surge
MAY KHIN CHAW ( Staff Officer) 15th
May,2008 Dept. of Meteorology Hydrology
2
Killer Cyclones Associated storm surges
3
Details about Storm NARGIS (01B08)

• Life span 26th Apr to 3rd May, 2008
• Lanfall area Ayeyarwady, Yangon, Mon Kayin
• Category Severe Cyclonic storm
• Radius of storm 250miles
• Max. wind speed 130 mph
• Max. Peak Surge 22 feet

4
Track of the Storm NARGIS
5
(No Transcript)
6
Computation of Storm Surges along Myanmar Coast
Storm NARGIS (2008) Vm 120mph 53ms-1 Angle
T 30 Maximum peak surge height 5.65m (or)
18.5 feet
7
23
22
20
20
15
10
Kadonkani (20)
8
(No Transcript)
9
(No Transcript)
10

• Water is blue or nearly black,
• Vegetation is bright green,
• Ground is brown
• Clouds are white or light blue.
• The entire coastal plain is flooded in the May 5
  image (bottom)

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
(MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite
11
Storm News (Issued at (1730)hrs MST on 1st May,
2008) According to the observations at
(1530)hrs MST today, the cyclonic storm NARGIS
is now located (340) miles WSW of Gwa, Rakhine
State. Myanmar coast within next (24) hrs
commencing this evening. It is forecast to
further intensify and move NNE wards. Under the
influence of this storm, widespread rain or
thundershowers will be in
(1530)hrs of 1st May,2008
Rakhine, Mon, Kayin States, Ayeyarwady, Yangon,
Bago and Taninthayi Divisions, scattered in Shan
and Kayah States, isolated in the remaining areas
with heavyfalls in coastal areas. Squall with
rough sea are likely attimes off and along
Myanmar coast. Surface wind speed in squall may
reach (50)mph. On crossing the coast, storm
surge height of about (8-10)feet above normal
tide will be expected along Southern Rakhine and
northern Ayeyarwady coastal areas.
12
FREQUENCY OF ISSUED STORM SURGE FORECASTS
13
The shallow waters allowed the counter-clockwise
circulation or winds around Nargis to pile up a
large storm surge to the right of the storm's
track.
Bathymetry of the Bay of Bengal
14
Nargis is the deadliest and most destructive TC
ever hit to Myanmar, Why did it happen?

• Passing as SCS(Categoty-2) with maximum wind
  speed of about 120-130 mph
• Slow moving so long duration without
  downgrading
• Passing over the low-lying areas
• Shallow waters allowed the counter-clockwise
  circulation or winds around Nargis to pile up a
  large storm surge to the right of the storm's
  track
• Passing over densely populated Ayeyarwady River
  deltaic region

• General remark
• A lot of the devastation was a result of the
  storm surge.
• The accelerated surges came up the numerous
• distributaries at the mouths of Ayeyarwady
  river up to
• (15-40) miles inland converge the stream flow.
  After that coastal plains is flood.

15
THANKS FOR ATTENTION