5 Devastating Cyclones in Bangladesh

1970 Bhola cyclone: The 1970 Bhola cyclone was a devastating tropical cyclone that struck East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) and India's West Bengal on November 11, 1970. It remains the deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded and one of the world's deadliest natural disasters. At least 300,000 people lost their lives in the storm.

1985 Urir Char cyclone: In May 1985, a cyclone from the Bay of Bengal struck the coastal islands of Bangladesh. In spite of early detection of atmospheric turbulence and the history of severe cyclones in the area, an estimated 11,000 people lost their lives. In a natural experiment, cyclone death rates from the two severely affected islands, Urir Char and Sandwip, were analysed to determine the risk factors of cyclone-associated mortality.

Super Cyclonic Storm BOB 01: BOB 01, tracked by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center as 02B, hit Bangladesh on April 29 as a strong cyclone.[6] It brought a tremendous storm surge and massive wind damage, resulting in the deaths of over 138,000 people. BOB 01 was the deadliest cyclone on Earth since the 1970 Bhola Cyclone. It also destroyed an estimated 1 million homes, leaving as many as 10 million people (a substantial portion of the country's population) homeless.

Cyclonic Storm Sidr: Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Sidr was a tropical cyclone that resulted in one of the worst natural disasters in Bangladesh. The storm eventually made landfall in Bangladesh on November 15, 2007, causing large-scale evacuations. At least 3,447 deaths have been blamed on the storm, with some estimates reaching 15,000.

Cyclone Aila: Severe Cyclonic Storm Aila was the second named tropical cyclone of the 2009 North Indian Ocean cyclone season. It was the worst natural disaster to affect Bangladesh since Cyclone Sidr in November 2007. A relatively strong tropical cyclone, it caused extensive damage in India and Bangladesh. The storm was responsible for at least 339 deaths across Bangladesh and India; more than 1 million people were left homeless. Health officials in Bangladesh confirmed a deadly outbreak of diarrhea on 29 May, with more than 7,000 people being infected and four dying. In Bangladesh, an estimated 20 million people were at risk of post-disaster diseases due to Aila.