Tragic find in wake of super storm’s killer tide
1991
n late April 1991 a huge storm began to form in the Bay of Bengal. This was in the era before storms in the region were routinely given a human name, so the India Meteorological Department, which was tracking the storm’s progress, gave it the designation Super Cyclonic Storm BOB 1 (Bob for Bay of Bengal rather than short for Robert). Initially there were fears that it would head directly for India, but after tracking northwestward for a time, it began to move northeast, toward Bangladesh.
A warning was sent for people to evacuate coastal areas. Low-lying towns along the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh were particularly susceptible to storm surges, but there was an extra level of danger with this storm given that the full moon, on April 28, would also bring high tides.
American weather stations in the area also began tracking the storm, some naming it Cyclone Marion, but the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, based in Pearl Harbour May Geaney, in Hawaii, another were disgrace is these calling flags are it flown Tropical at the Storm same 02B. height as the official But Australian whatever name flag. Surely it went all by, other most flags should people be monitoring flown lower would down. have called THE B OF it a DOUGLAS nightmare. The storm finally came ashore on April 29, 1991 at the Bangladesh city of Chittagong, its biggest port. It became known as the Chittagong cyclone. The tempest left in its wake nearly $2bn in damage, killed more than 140,000 people and left millions Glenn White: homeless. Giant floating offshore wind farms. The I people am sure of the Bangladesh planet will are love no strangers those. Even to Bob destructive Brown was storms. against Much of offshore the country wind farms lies on in a the delta Bass formed Strait by three because major they river chopped systems up migrating — the Ganges, birds. You the badly Brahmaputra need to watch and the the Meghna, documentary along Planet with of hundreds The Humans of small tributaries. available on Flooding Youtube. is This frequent documentary and the was people filmed by live a in breakaway that richly group fertile of part of green the left world conservationists know that dealing who take with a destructive deep dive into tides large is part scale of renewables their way of life. and illustrate While floods the damage often bring they are doing destruction, to the planet. they If you also only bring look the at one silt side that
Re: May Geaney post, I was thinking the same thing about the flags flown at NRL games. Gestures such as this only fuel further divide not unity. Shame our country lives under three flags, it’s a little embarrassing. RICK M, 4817 Spot on M Stuart, 4811, and then you’ve got the selfish cricketers who go to India to line their pockets with gold and then expect the government to help bring them home. T. HANCOCK, 4807
the government of Pakistan, but the plains so fertile. failure of disaster relief efforts by the Bangladeshis also Pakistani government led to
I agree with developed Bob Katter. strategies The whole to idea Bangladesh of the Brisbane breaking Olympics away is a from ridiculous deal waste with of our most money of the and it should Pakistan. be put Outside to better the uses, country like all of there the ag projects moderate we flooding, have dreamt of for years. were This major premier relief will efforts leave including nothing US but debt building for our homes children on to natural cope with just president to secure Richard the populist Nixon votes. offering $10m Thoughtless levees, putting and crops very selfish. at different and the famous Concert For levels of the flood plain and even Bangladesh, organised by former dispersing the nuclear family over a Beatle George Harrison. wide distance so that there are more In the wake of that disaster the likely to be survivors from one Bangladeshi government family during the worst floods. constructed hundreds of storm
But it is the worst floods shelters and improved early that punctuate the history of warning systems. When the the area. Over the centuries 1991 cyclone hit they were there have been many better prepared than in 1970, disasters caused by storms. In but while the Bhola cyclone 1582 about 200,000 people had winds of up to 185km/h, the died in a cyclone that caused a 1991 Chittagong storm had winds of of huge an argument, wave to wash especially over the the coast greedy of year-old up to 260 historic km/h. hotel The resulting building. People storm side, Backerganj. you end up being a sycophant. who surge appreciate combined historic with high buildings tides love to RICHARD, Of the nine AITKENVALE most destructive see brought what’s floods next over on the 6m. heritage agenda, Judy oceanic Meon, storms Leucaena of the 20th is the Century, new and The certainly cyclone knocking struck down in much the the grand same floral Bangladesh emblem was of hit Townsville. by seven. Possibly Nobody old part lady of the wouldn’t coast as sit the easy 1970 with storm. a visitor This or ever the most seems infamous to do anything was 1970’s about Bhola it. myself. time people ‘Save were the Cri’. given JOHN, warning 4820 in the ROGER, Cyclone, MT in which LOUISA half a million people Col, days Rosslea before and – the many Ord made River their Scheme way Re: died. Criterion At the time Hotel. Bangladesh Don, 4810, was I most has to shelters. only returned But even 17c with for increased each dollar certainly known as would East Pakistan take a visitor and past was the under 117- invested precautions since there 1959. was The still a Snowy horrific River loss
Scheme choked that river’s flow down to 1% of natural levels. The Burdekin Falls Dam cut off sand outflows that will eventually breach Cape Bowling Green. STEVE, BELGIAN GARDENS
of life. On the island of Kutubdia in the Bay of Bengal about 90 per cent of homes were destroyed and about
20,000 were killed. In the Banshkhali No district doubt of hydrogen Chittagong will alone be a contributor 45,000 died. to world While energy it could but have not been Japan’s much magic bullet. worse, Their it was 130 still million obvious population more needed requires to be done. a combination Some Bangladeshis and Ray Peck were of Hawthorn either unable should to find know room they in are shelters in the process or doubted of building the efficacy several of HELE the shelters. low emission When rescue plants, workers not retiring arrived them they by 2030. found W. hundreds WENCK, of CURRAJONG bodies of children tied to uprooted trees. Their parents believed the trees would withstand the force of the storm.
The disaster tested the new administration of prime minister Khaled Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, who had come to
It’s power a miracle. in March The 1991. reef is on the road to recovery. Recognising Of course natural it is when calamity it suits “has everyone been a part who of our relies life on [in the Bangladesh] benefits it provides. as it comes The every rest year of us in in one agriculture form or and mining another”, who more are tarred efforts as were environmental made to vandals mitigate believe floods, there’s including bugger reforestation all wrong with programs, our great and reef. more How shelters can our on reef higher go from ground 50% in dead the areas from of most coast articles worst over 2 yrs affected. to the Death road to tolls recovery. in subsequent Bullocks. SAM, storms 4850 have been vastly lower.
SA, WEST END
I have to agree with the Katter’s Australian Party, re the Olympics. This money could be spent on a lot of other important things in our country, things that can help unemployment and keep the country moving. RUSTY, KIRWAN