VSCS Mala - Landfall: Myanmar - 22 deaths

[HURAKAN]

VERY SEVERE CYCLONIC STORM “MALA” ADVISORY NO. THIRTY TWO ISSUED AT 1200 UTC BASED ON 0900 UTC CHARTS OF 29TH APRIL 2006. VERY SEVERE CYCLONIC STORM “MALA” OVER EAST-CENTRAL BAY OF BENGAL HAS CROSSED THE ARAKAN COAST AROUND 0700 UTC AND WEAKENED INTO A SEVERE CYCLONIC STORM AND LIES CENTRED AT 0900 UTC NEAR LAT. 18.0 N AND LONG. 95.0 E OVER LAND.THE SYSTEM IS LIKELY TO MOVE IN A NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION AND WEAKEN FURTHER.

THIS IS THE FINAL BULLETIN FOR THE SYSTEM.

[HURAKAN]

ALREADY OVER CENTRAL MYANMAR.

[StormScanWx]

Any damage reports from Myanmar?

[HURAKAN]

The government isn't going to give out information, but there are reports of flooding, massive waves, destroyed building, roofs ripped apart by the winds, injuries, and possibly, but no confirmed, deaths.

[HURAKAN]

WTIO31 PGTW 291500
MSGID/GENADMIN/NAVPACMETOCCEN PEARL HARBOR HI/JTWC//
SUBJ/TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING//
RMKS/
IMMEDIATE DELIVERY REQ TO AMCONSUL CALCUTTA AND AMEMBASSY DHAKA
1. TROPICAL CYCLONE 02B (MALA) WARNING NR 012
01 ACTIVE TROPICAL CYCLONE IN NORTHIO
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS BASED ON ONE-MINUTE AVERAGE
---
WARNING POSITION:
291200Z --- NEAR 18.6N 95.3E
MOVEMENT PAST SIX HOURS - 040 DEGREES AT 12 KTS
POSITION ACCURATE TO WITHIN 040 NM
POSITION BASED ON CENTER LOCATED BY SATELLITE
PRESENT WIND DISTRIBUTION:
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 065 KT, GUSTS 080 KT
DISSIPATING AS A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER LAND
REPEAT POSIT: 18.6N 95.3E
---
FORECASTS:
12 HRS, VALID AT:
300000Z --- 20.9N 97.3E
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 035 KT, GUSTS 045 KT
DISSIPATED AS A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER LAND
---
REMARKS:
291500Z POSITION NEAR 19.2N 95.8E.
TROPICAL CYCLONE (TC) 02B (MALA), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 120 NM NORTH-
NORTHWEST OF YANGON, MYANMAR, HAS TRACKED NORTHEASTWARD AT 12 KNOTS
OVER THE PAST 06 HOURS. TC 02B MADE LANDFALL NEAR GWA, MYANMAR AND IS
RAPIDLY DISSIPATING OVER LAND. THIS IS THE FINAL WARNING ON THIS
SYSTEM BY THE JOINT TYPHOON WARNING CENTER (NAVPACMETOCCEN). THE
SYSTEM WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED FOR SIGNS OF REGENERATION.



Both India and the JTWC have issued their last warning on Mala, but that doesn't mean that everything over. Mala will continue to produce rain in the area which could lead to even more flooding.

[CHRISTY]

Yea its not over yet but she's inland now for sure....

[cheezyWXguy]

wow...she still has an eye...(kinda) the convections still lower in the center than the CDO

[senorpepr]

http://news.bostonherald.com/internatio ... eid=137196

Cyclone Mala batters Myanmar, ripping roofs off buildings, knocking out electricity

YANGON, Myanmar - A cyclone packing winds up to 150 mph battered Myanmar Saturday, ripping roofs off dozens of buildings near the capital, knocking out electricity and forcing tourists to flee flooding along the coast.
There were scattered report of injuries and deaths but the government gave no details.
Cyclone Mala, which means “a garland of flowers” in Bengali, passed through Gwa, a resort 120 miles northwest of Yangon, an official in the meteorological department said.
The storm produced massive waves and flooding, knocked down trees and forced dozens of youngsters on a yachting trip to seek higher ground, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The worst damage appeared to be just outside the capital Yangon, where strong winds damaged more than 150 buildings, the official said.
A soft drink and flour factory collapsed and dozens of buildings lost their roofs, the official said. Police and soldiers stood guard as municipal workers cleaned up the twisted metal, downed utility polls and shattered glass.
“This was the worst damage I have ever seen in my life,” said a resident from the industrial zone. “Even containers fell and cars were blown into the air by what looked like a tornado.”
Storm warnings were also issued for coastal areas in southern Bangladesh, though forecasters said there was almost no chance now that the cyclone would strike there.
Cyclones are known as typhoons in much of East Asia and hurricanes in the Western hemisphere.

[HurricaneHunter914]

Whoa! That is alot of damage from a Cat-3 storm.

[HURAKAN]

Whoa! That is alot of damage from a Cat-3 storm.

Just remember that in these countries, poor countries, most of the building and houses are not constructed to withstand a hurricane. Therefore, it's very likely to have a distructive scenario when a major hurricane makes landfall.

[HurricaneHunter914]

I'm suprised with all the destruction no deaths have been reported yet.

[Dr. Jonah Rainwater]

Myanmar's government doesn't usually report the worst of the damage to the media. They tried to downplay the tsunami's effect there last year too.

[Hurricanehink]

I'm suprised with all the destruction no deaths have been reported yet.

Actually, according to CNN.com, two deaths have been reported, as well as 50 injuries. http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/04 ... index.html

[HURAKAN]

2 killed, 21 hurt as cyclone Mala slams into Myanmar

Yangon, April. 30 (AP): Residents along Myanmar's west coast cleaned up today after a tropical cyclone cut a path of destruction, killing two people, injuring at least 21 and damaging nearly 600 homes and buildings, officials said.

Packing 240-kilometre an hour winds, Cyclone Mala wreaked havoc yesterday along the coast on the Bay of Bengal.

"This is the worst damage I have ever seen in my life," said a resident from the Hlaing Thar Yar industrial zone outside of Yangon that took the brunt of the storm.

"Even containers fell and cars were blown into the air by what looked like a tornado," he said, requesting anonymity because of the political climate in the country.

The fierce winds ripped roofs off dozens of buildings and destroyed five factories in Hlaing Thar Yar, according to the New Light of Myanmar newspaper. Two people were killed and 21 injured on the outskirts of Yangon, according to the report and relief workers.

The International Federation of Red Cross said that 586 homes in Hlaing Thar Yar had been damaged. It has also sent an assessment team to Gwa, a coastal resort about 190 kilometres northwest of Yangon, to check on damage there.

The cyclone has moved inland and weakened significantly, according to U Tun Lwin, director of the country's meteorological department. The weather in Yangon was clear and sunny today.

The storm cut a destructive swathe through Myanmar's Ayeyarwaddy delta, battering Haingyi island - about 200 kilometers southwest of Yangon - with a wind speed of more than 120 kilometres per hour on Friday, damaging several houses.

[CHRISTY]

Sounds real bad....but i think it could have been much much worse!that shear saved them.

[Rod Hagen]

The style of the official government presentation of stuff about the impact of the cyclone will give you some idea of what Myanmar is like, sadly:

_______________________

"Gusts of wind destroy roofs of factories, houses in Hlinethaya Township

Nay Pyi Taw, 29 April — Sudden gusts of wind alongside heavy rainfall destroyed roofs of five factories in industrial zones and more than 200 houses in Hlinethaya Township at about 10 pm yesterday.

The wind destroyed the roofs and walls of Myanmar April Garment Factory, Myanmar Sunny Slippers Factory, Wonder Confectionery, Htawara Blanket Factory and Max Soft Drink Factory in Industrial Zones-3&4 and over 200 houses in Ward-15, Ward-19, Shwe Linban Village and Kazin Village, killing one person and injuring 21 others. Those injured have been sent to Yangon General Hospital and Hlinethaya People’s Hospital for treatment.

Chairman of Yangon Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Yangon Command Brig-Gen Hla Htay Win and officials concerned rushed to the scenes and supervised arrangements for opening relief camps for storm victims." (from http://www.myanmar.com/nlm/enlm/Apr30_rg6.html )

________________________

Goodness knows what the real cost in life and property has been there.

Rod

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

Rita destroyed more by the looks of some of her photo's. In she has debate that she was not even a cat3 at landfall.

[HURAKAN]

Rita destroyed more by the looks of some of her photo's. In she has debate that she was not even a cat3 at landfall.

You can't compare the destrucction that a hurricane makes in a first world country to a third world country. It's impossible.

[HurricaneHunter914]

Not impossible but very hard. By the way I just realized you changed your avatar to Mala are you goin to be doing that all year?

[HURAKAN]

Not impossible but very hard. By the way I just realized you changed your avatar to Mala are you goin to be doing that all year?

I've been thinking on doing that. My avatar will just be a reminder of the last major storm. Therefore, everytime we have a major hurricane/typhoon/cyclone, it will change.