Knowra 1991 Bangladesh cyclone 1991 Bangladesh cyclone A severe tropical cyclone that struck southeastern Bangladesh on April 29, 1991. Its storm surge inundated low-lying coastal areas and killed an estimated 138,000 people.
Storm surge : An abnormal rise of seawater pushed onto shore by a storm’s winds and pressure. The cyclone’s surge drove seawater far inland across Bangladesh’s low-lying coast.
1991 North Indian Ocean cyclone season : The annual period of tropical cyclone activity over the North Indian Ocean in 1991. The Bangladesh cyclone was the season’s deadliest storm.
Cyclone preparedness in Bangladesh : Public systems and community measures in Bangladesh for reducing cyclone deaths and damage. The 1991 disaster accelerated investment in warnings, shelters, and evacuation planning.
Cox's Bazar : A coastal district and town in southeastern Bangladesh, near the Myanmar border. The district lay within the cyclone’s affected southeastern coast.
Tropical cyclone : A rotating, organized storm that forms over warm tropical or subtropical waters. The 1991 storm was a tropical cyclone intensified over the Bay of Bengal.
Cyclogenesis : The formation or strengthening of a rotating atmospheric circulation into a cyclone. The storm began as a developing disturbance over the Bay of Bengal.
Cyclone shelter : A purpose-built structure that provides refuge during tropical cyclones and storm surges. A shortage of accessible shelters left many coastal residents without safe refuge.
Kutubdia Island : An island in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of southeastern Bangladesh. Its exposed, low-lying settlements faced severe surge inundation.
Bay of Bengal : A northeastern arm of the Indian Ocean bordered by India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The cyclone formed over this basin before striking Bangladesh.
April 1991 : The fourth month of 1991, spanning the cyclone’s formation, landfall, and aftermath. The cyclone intensified and struck Bangladesh during this month.
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