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1973 Flores cyclone

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1973 Flores cyclone
Satellite image of the Flores cyclone on 28 April
Meteorological history
Formed26 April 1973 (1973-04-26)
Dissipated30 April 1973 (1973-04-30)
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (BMKG)
Highest winds150 km/h (90 mph)
Lowest pressure950 hPa (mbar); 28.05 inHg
Category 3-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds185 km/h (115 mph)
Overall effects
Fatalities1,653 total
(Deadliest tropical cyclone recorded in the Southern Hemisphere)
Damage$5 million (1973 USD)
Areas affectedIndonesia, East Timor
IBTrACSEdit this at Wikidata
Part of the 1972–73 Australian region cyclone season

The 1973 Flores cyclone was the deadliest known tropical cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere, having killed 1,653 people in Indonesia in April 1973. The cyclone formed in the Banda Sea on 26 April as a tropical low. It intensified as it moved in a west-southwest direction, before shifting to the south. On 29 April, the cyclone struck the north coast of the island of Flores, dissipating the next day. The cyclone killed 1,500 people on Palu'e island. The cyclone dropped heavy rainfall across Flores, causing deadly flash flooding that damaged buildings and roads, destroying or damaging thousands of houses.

Meteorological history

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Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

On 26 April, a tropical low formed in the Banda Sea in the waters of eastern Indonesia. According to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), the low moved to the west-southwest and intensified, although this was based on a later analysis. As the storm was outside of the agency's jurisdiction, the BoM did not issue warnings on the system at the time. The low attained gale-force winds late on 27 April as it moved into the Flores Sea. Late the next day, the storm turned southwestward.[1][2]

The BoM estimated that the storm reached peak intensity early on 29 April, assessing it as a Category 3 on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale, with maximum sustained winds of 150 km/h (90 mph).[1] While near peak intensity, the small tropical cyclone had eye embedded within a central dense overcast, 295 km (185 mi) in diameter.[2] The cyclone made landfall on the northern coast of the Indonesian island of Flores at 09:00 WITA with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph) and a pressure of 975 millibars (28.79 inHg).[3][4] After crossing the island, the cyclone dissipated on 30 April near Flores' southern coast.[1]

Impact

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In the Flores Sea, the cyclone capsized a 500-ton freighter O Arbiru, based out of Portuguese Timor, which was delivering a rice shipment from Bangkok. Of the crew of 24 people, only one person, a crew member, survived.[3][5][6][7] They were found safe on Flores.[3] On Palu'e island alone, the cyclone killed 1,500 people.[8][9]

News of the disaster in Flores took a month to reach authorities in the capital, Jakarta, due to lack of communications and the remoteness of the island.[2][10] Across the region, the cyclone killed 1,653 people,[8] making it the deadliest tropical cyclone recorded in the Southern Hemisphere.[11] The storm lashed the coast with a storm surge that broke tens of meters inland, which newspapers described as a "tidal wave".[3][10] In Ngada Regency, high waves drowned 24 people. Another 10 people were killed in Manggarai Regency,[10] and another 10 in Maumere.[12] For three days, the storm dropped heavy rainfall across Flores, which produced deadly landslides and flash flooding that washed away rice fields, livestock, and entire homes.[13][3] The cyclone wrecked schools, homes, dams, and bridges. The storm also wrecked government buildings, with heavy damage reported in the regional capital of Ende.[10] Around 1,800 houses were leveled with others being badly damaged. Boats that were in the path of the cyclone were destroyed.[3] In Paluʼe, around 80% of houses were destroyed.[9] The storm was described as apocalyptic and was nicknamed the "Flores Death Cyclone".[3][9] Losses were estimated to be at around $5 million (1973 USD).[3][14]

After the floods, the Indonesian government constructed the Sutami Weir, which was finished in 1975. The weir controlled the water flow on the island and helped irrigate 6,500 ha (16,000 acres) of rice paddy fields.[13]

See also

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  • 1970 Bhola cyclone – The deadliest cyclone recorded worldwide
  • Cyclone Inigo (2003) – Caused deadly floods in Indonesia before developing into a tropical cyclone
  • Cyclone Idai (2019) – The next-deadliest tropical cyclone recorded in the Southern Hemisphere
  • Cyclone Seroja (2021) – Another deadly tropical cyclone that struck similar areas

References

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  1. ^ a b c "1973 Severe Tropical Cyclone FLORESCYCLO (1973116S05131)". International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Padgett, Gary (24 May 2002). "Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary December 2001". Archived from the original on 14 June 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Arif, Ahmad (9 April 2021). "Seroja Mengingatkan pada Tragedi Siklon Flores 1973" [Seroja Reminiscent of 1973 Flores Cyclone Tragedy]. Kompas (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  4. ^ "48 Tahun Silam, Badai Tropis Dahsyat Melanda Flores: 1650 Orang Tewas, 1800 Rumah Rata dengan Tanah". Kompas TV (in Indonesian). 9 April 2021. Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Unnamed (Flores Sea)". Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Ship Sinks Off Indonesia". The New York Times. 19 May 1973. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  7. ^ Gunn, Geoffrey C (2000). New World Hegemony in the Malay World. The Red Sea Press. p. 246.
  8. ^ a b "Death toll". The Canberra Times. Australian Associated Press. 18 June 1973. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  9. ^ a b c Arif, Ahmad (8 April 2021). "Siklon Tropis, Ancaman Baru Indonesia" [Tropical Cyclones, Indonesia's New Threat]. Kompas (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 18 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d "53 killed by tidal waves". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. Australian Associated Press. 7 June 1973. p. 6. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  11. ^ Masters, Jeff. "Africa's Hurricane Katrina: Tropical Cyclone Idai Causes an Extreme Catastrophe". Weather Underground. Archived from the original on 4 August 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  12. ^ Rosary, Ebed (8 May 2021). "Belajar dari Siklon Tropis Seroja. Bagaimana Antisipasinya?". Mongabay (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 7 August 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Bendung Sutami di Mbay, antara Harapan dan Tantangan" (in Indonesian). Kompasiana. 25 July 2016. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  14. ^ Bame, Hila (17 April 2021). "Siclon Seroja 1973 menewaskan 1500 orang dan 1800 Rumah di Flores". InaKoran (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
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