2000 Sri Lanka cyclone

2000 Sri Lanka cyclone

The 2000 Sri Lanka cyclone was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the island since 1978. It developed from an area of disturbed weather on December 25, 2000. The storm was the first cyclone over Sri Lanka with winds of at least hurricane strength since a 110 mph cyclone in the 1978 season. It produced heavy rainfall and strong winds, damaging or destroying tens of thousands of houses and leaving up to 500,000 homeless.

About 2000 Sri Lanka cyclone in brief

Summary 2000 Sri Lanka cycloneThe 2000 Sri Lanka cyclone was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike Sri Lanka since 1978. It developed from an area of disturbed weather on December 25, 2000. The cyclone hit eastern Sri Lanka at peak strength, then weakened slightly while crossing the island before making landfall over southern India on December 28. The storm was the first cyclone over Sri Lanka with winds of at least hurricane strength since a 110 mph cyclone in the 1978 season, as well as the first tropical storm to hit the island since 1992. It produced heavy rainfall and strong winds, damaging or destroying tens of thousands of houses and leaving up to 500,000 homeless. At least nine people died as a result of the cyclone, and eight people were left missing and feared dead. It was the fourth tropical storm and the second severe cyclonic storm of the 2000 North Indian Ocean cyclone season.

It degenerated into a remnant low later that day, before merging with another trough on the next day. It is currently a tropical depression in the eastern Arabian Sea and is expected to dissipate on December 29. The JTWC has estimated the storm reached a maximum intensity of 105 mph, but the IMD estimated it reached a peak of 75 mph. It made landfall on near Trincomalee, Sri Lanka on December 26, and then weakened to tropical depression status over land on December 27. It weakened slightly over land and emerged into the Gulf of Mannar early on Dec 27 as a tropical storm. It then merged into another trough and dissipated into the eastern Indian Ocean on Dec 28. It hit the eastern and western coastlines with powerful waves, wrecking fishing boats and washing away 109 boats near Puttalam.