Few people will be pleased with the hot, dry, calm weather. But even less joy comes from strong gusts of wind, knocking people down, destroying everything around. Such a squally wind is called a hurricane. Its speed can reach 300 meters per second. In this article, we will talk about what the most powerful hurricanes in the world caused significant damage to people and claimed lives.
What is a hurricane?
A strong wind is called a hurricane, the speed of which is significantly higher than 32.6 meters per second. In the southern hemisphere of the planet, the wind blows clockwise, and in the northern hemisphere - in the opposite direction, that is, against.
Typhoon, cyclone, storm and breeze - propagated definitions of a hurricane. Hydro-center specialists have propagated the concepts of the word “hurricane” in order to simplify the work. Often, hurricanes and cyclones get names similar to women's names, but in the modern world this rule changes slightly so that there is no noticeable obvious discrimination.
The largest hurricanes in the world caused significant damage to humanity, caused a huge number of victims and damage. This is the most powerful natural disaster imaginable . Hurricanes have tremendous energy.
Gusts of wind demolish buildings, destroy crops, disrupt the operation of power lines and water pipes, damage transport routes, tear out trees from the root, and cause accidents. Such damage causes the most severe hurricanes in the world. The list and statistics of the most powerful natural disasters of our time are replenished with new cyclones annually.
Hurricane Classification
There is no standard classification of hurricanes. Only two of their groups can be distinguished: a whirlwind storm and a flowing hurricane.
With a whirlwind, funnel-shaped gusts arise, which are caused by the activity of cyclones and spread over a large area. In winter, snowstorms, which are called blizzards or blizzards, predominate.
A streaming hurricane does not spread as far as a whirlwind. He is conditioned and significantly inferior to his "brother." There are jet and stock hurricanes. A jet storm is characterized by a horizontal flow, and a stock one is characterized by a vertical one.
Hurricane Matthew
The Atlantic hurricane, dubbed "Matthew," originated on the African shores on September 22, 2016. The cyclone gained strength moving toward Florida. On October 6, the hurricane weakened slightly, affecting a small part of the Bahamas and Miami. The next day, a gale appeared again with a vengeance, its gusts reaching 220 kilometers per hour. This mark indicated the 5th category of hurricane power on the Saffir-Simpson scale. It is worth noting that category 5 is the highest mark.
It is impossible to overestimate the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew. At least 877 people were victims of the disaster, 350 thousand were left without shelter and means of survival. Destroyed 3,5 thousand buildings. “Matthew”, which struck Florida in 2016, is the strongest hurricane in the world this decade. Photos of the consequences prove this.
Citizens affected by the disaster were provided with temporary housing or a place in a shelter. Medical professionals say that cholera outbreaks are possible in the near future, as the water is contaminated.
Myanmar: Hurricane Nargis
The most severe hurricanes in the world over the past 10 years have caused irreparable losses that people cannot recover from to this day. It was precisely such a disaster that the Nargis cyclone, terrifying in its strength, caused Myanmar to suffer in 2008.
People were not notified in time about the impending disaster, so they could not prepare. In addition, the government at first refused all assistance from other states.
But after a certain amount of time, humanitarian goods were still allowed in, and people received the necessary assistance.
Myanmar is the poorest state in which the annual income per citizen is only $ 200. Hurricane Nargis dealt a crushing blow not only to the citizens of the country, but also to the state economy as a whole.
Cuba and Hurricane Sandi
The hurricane, dubbed Sandy, hit the southeastern portion of Cuba on October 25, 2012. Wind speed exceeded the mark of 183 meters per hour. A large number of people were affected. In Jamaica, a man died from a boulder that fell from the sky. In Haiti, a water stream carried away a woman who was not subsequently found. As a result of the disaster, about 200 people died and more than 130,000 buildings were destroyed.
Sandi is the 18th tropical storm in the past decade. Before falling into Cuba, the hurricane intensified almost to the second category.
Looking at the photo of the cyclone, we can say with accuracy that Sandy and the other most powerful hurricanes in the world over the past 10 years have become the only terrifying element in their lives for people.
Hurricane Ike
A tropical storm called "Ike" hit the United States in 2008. The hurricane was not too strong, but very impressive in its scale. The cyclone originated in the southeast of the American coast. Meteorologists were preparing for the 5th highest category of hurricane power on the Saffir – Simpson scale.
Wind speed was approaching the mark of 135 kilometers per hour. But gradually the wind died down, and the elements weakened.
Texas suffered the most, especially the small town of Galveston. An interesting fact is that this town already felt the might of a great hurricane of the 20th century.
Texas authorities carried out a massive evacuation of people, but most citizens did not want to leave their homes. The authorities were prepared for the fact that the elements would inflict tremendous damage and entail floods, as is often the case.
The grave consequences that people do not recover from right away entail the most severe hurricanes in the world. The names of many of them will forever remain in the memory of the affected people.
It's important to know
Each country, to one degree or another, suffers annually from the effects of cyclones. Therefore, it is so important to know certain rules of behavior during a storm. In no case should:
- climb a hill, a bridge, power lines;
- be near poles, trees, flammable substances and pesticides;
- hide from the wind behind billboards, signs, banners;
- to be in a damaged building, as you know, the most powerful hurricanes in the world easily destroy buildings;
- use electrical appliances.
After the wind subsides, it’s dangerous:
- approach dangling wires;
- touch swaying signs, banners, shields;
- to be in the house in case of power transmission violations;
- use electrical appliances;
- if a thunderstorm is observed, then you must not touch electrical appliances to avoid electrical discharge.
Did you know that the destructive power of a hurricane can lead to the fact that the name assigned to the cyclone will be deleted from the list of names that can have the most severe hurricanes in the world. For example, hurricane Katrin of 2005 fell under this rule, and meteorologists will never use this name.