1970 Bhola cyclone

1970 Bhola cyclone

The 1970 Bhola cyclone, also known as the Great Cyclone of 1970, was the deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded. It struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and India's West Bengal on November 12, 1970.

The storm caused a huge wave of water, called a storm surge, that flooded many low-lying islands in the Ganges Delta. Many people lost their lives.

The cyclone began over the central Bay of Bengal on November 8 and moved northward, growing stronger each day. By November 10, its winds reached 185 kilometers per hour (115 miles per hour). It hit the coast of East Pakistan the next afternoon. The powerful wave destroyed villages and crops across the region.

After the storm, the government of Pakistan, led by General Yahya Khan, was criticized for not acting quickly enough to help those affected. This poor response made many people in East Pakistan unhappy. It helped the Awami League win an election a month later and eventually led to the Bangladesh Liberation War seven months after the cyclone.

Meteorological history

On November 1, Tropical Storm Nora formed over the South China Sea in the West Pacific Ocean. It lasted for four days before it moved west over the Malay Peninsula. This helped create a new storm in the central Bay of Bengal on November 8. The storm grew stronger as it moved north and became a cyclonic storm on November 9. It slowed down near 14°30′N 87°00′E / 14.5°N 87°E / 14.5; 87.

The storm became even stronger on November 11 and started moving northeast. It hit the coast of East Pakistan on the evening of November 12, around the time of high tide. After reaching land, the storm began to weaken and soon turned into a weaker system over southern Assam.

Preparations

There was some confusion about weather information between India and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) because they were not on good terms. Many people were surprised by the storm because the warning system was not used well.

On November 12, the Pakistan Meteorological Department warned people in coastal areas to be careful. Later, a serious danger signal was broadcast on Radio Pakistan. However, many people did not understand what it meant.

After two harmful cyclones in 1960, the government asked American experts for help. An expert named Gordon Dunn studied the problem in 1961, but not all of his ideas were used.

Impact

The coast of the Bay of Bengal is often hit by strong storms. The Bhola cyclone was a very powerful storm and one of the worst natural disasters ever.

In Bangladesh, big waves caused by the storm destroyed many islands and hurt lots of people. In India, heavy rain caused flooding, especially in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and West Bengal.

Many people died in the storm, though the exact number is not known. Children were also among those who died.

Aftermath

Government response

After the storm, Pakistani gunboats and a hospital ship went to help the islands of Hatiya, Sandwip, and Kutubdia. Army teams arrived in many places within two days. President Yahya Khan visited East Pakistan and said the government made some mistakes, but did all it could. He went back to Rawalpindi, and no leaders from West Pakistan visited the affected areas.

In the ten days after the cyclone, the government used one military plane and three crop-dusting planes for relief work. They said they could not send military helicopters from West Pakistan because India would not let them fly over India, but India said this was not true. By November 24, the government had given $116 million for relief. President Khan led relief work and said people did not understand how bad the disaster was. He said the planned election for December 7 would happen on time, though some areas might be delayed.

As tensions grew between East and West Pakistan in March 1971, offices for relief work were closed for at least two weeks. Relief work continued, but long-term planning was slowed.

Criticism of government response

Leaders in East Pakistan were unhappy with the government's early response. Eleven politicians said the government was very careless and did not care. Students in Dhaka protested the slow response, and big crowds asked for the president to leave. Leaders in West Pakistan also criticized the president, and some asked him to step down. Reports said relief supplies did not reach people quickly, and survivors were living outside with little help.

Political consequences

Because of the poor response to the cyclone, some political groups in both East and West Pakistan refused to take part in the 1970 elections. This helped the Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, win most of the votes. The government's slow response made people in East Pakistan angrier, leading to more resistance. As tensions grew in March 1971, foreign workers left because they were afraid of violence. The situation got worse and led to more conflict.

International response

India was one of the first to help, promising $1.3 million in aid even though relations with Pakistan were difficult. However, Pakistan would not let India send supplies by air, so aid had to travel slowly by road. The United States sent $10 million in aid, including blankets, tents, and food, as well as helicopters and boats. The United Kingdom sent a ship with helicopters and supplies, and Britain raised about £1.5 million for relief.

Canada gave $2 million, France and West Germany sent helicopters and supplies, and Pope Paul VI offered prayers and $100,000 in aid. The United Nations gave $2.1 million in food and cash and helped fix water supplies. By the start of December, nearly $40 million had been raised from 41 countries and groups.

Post-disaster

After the cyclone, the League of Red Cross Societies made plans to help other countries with similar disasters. The United Nations also agreed to improve its ability to give aid quickly. In 1972, a Cyclone Preparedness Programme was started to warn people about storms and train workers to help during emergencies. Over 200 cyclone shelters were built in Bangladesh in the years after 1970. When another big cyclone hit in 1991, many people were able to go to shelters, which saved many lives compared to the 1970 storm.

In books

The Vortex by Scott Carney and Jason Miklian tells how the leader Yayhia Khan did not help after the Bhola cyclone. This lack of help helped start the war for Bangladesh in 1971.