Hurricanes are among the most menacing and destructive
of nature's forces. In 1923, a severe typhoon struck Japan. As the storm
hit, a severe earthquake took place. A raging fire broke out to complete
the disaster scenario. As a result of the earthquake and typhoon, 99,330
people were killed. Another 43,500 disappeared. With Katrina in our near
past and two hurricanes striking the Americans on the same day in September
2007, some ask whether the number and intensity of hurricanes has increased.
Hurricanes and similar circulations form in many parts of the world. They are low pressure areas, or cyclones where the maximum winds exceed 64 knots (74 miles per hour). In the Atlantic Basin (which includes the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, these storms are called hurricanes. They are also called hurricanes in the Pacific Ocean east of the dateline.
In the Western Pacific, these storms are called typhoons, while in the Southern Hemisphere as well as the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, they are simply called cyclones.
For information on the tropical cyclones that affect Australia see "Surviving Cyclones" by the Bureau of Meteorology and Emergency Management Australia.
In India see the Government of India Meteorological Department's "Hazards of Cyclones".
The following map shows where hurricanes and similar tropical cyclones form and where they move. Why do you think we do not see hurricanes in the eastern parts of the oceans? Why do they tend to move from east to west while in the tropics?
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