Tropical Cyclone Nivar

Last Updated : 28 Mar, 2024

Cyclone Nivar was a severe tropical cyclonic storm that hit the southeastern coast (Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast, to be specific) of India on November 26, 2020. Tropical cyclone Nivar was the fourth cyclone to hit the North Indian Ocean region in 2020. Nivar originated from a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal and quickly intensified into a severe cyclonic storm by November 24.

Read below this article to learn about Tropical Cyclone Nivar, why it was named so, and the list of areas affected. Also, find out what factors were responsible for Nivar’s formation and its impacts.

Cyclone Nivar: An Overview

Here’s an overview of Cyclone Nivar presented in a table format:

Aspect	Description
Name	Cyclone Nivar
Formation	Formed in the Bay of Bengal as a low-pressure area on November 23, 2020.
Intensity	Classified as a very severe cyclonic storm, with wind speeds reaching up to 120-130 km/h (75-81 mph).
Landfall	Made landfall near Puducherry and Chennai on November 25, 2020.
Affected Areas	Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of Karnataka.
Impact	Heavy rainfall, strong winds, storm surges, flooding, and damage to infrastructure and agriculture.
Preparations	Evacuation of thousands of people from low-lying areas, closure of schools and offices, and deployment of disaster response teams.
Response	Coordinated efforts by government agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), to provide relief and assistance to affected areas.
Aftermath	Rehabilitation and restoration efforts, including repair of infrastructure, distribution of relief materials, and assistance to affected communities.
Lessons Learned	Emphasized the importance of preparedness, early warning systems, and effective disaster management strategies in mitigating the impact of cyclones.

Why is it called “Nivar”?

Cyclone Nivar was named by Iran in accordance with the Tropical Cyclone Naming Convention. Countries belonging to a region are responsible for naming the cyclones in their respective regions.

Tropical cyclones originating in the North Indian Ocean region, aka the Bay of Bengal/Arabian Sea, are named by the countries covering this region in rotation as per the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) guidelines. The countries under the North Indian Ocean region are: India, Bangladesh, Iran, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The naming of tropical cyclones in this region started in 2004.

Each of these countries provides a list of 13 names, leading to a total of 169 names available for use when the time comes. The member countries’ names are listed alphabetically, and every new cyclone formed in the region is named in sequence according to this list to avoid repetition.

Names are assigned to cyclones to prevent confusion and to make information dissemination, media coverage, and general identification easier for everyone. A new list of cyclone names for this region was issued in 2020 by IMD in accordance with WMO guidelines.

List of areas affected by Tropical Cyclone Nivar

Tropical Cyclone Nivar made landfall on the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast, was accompanied by intense rain and high-speed winds, and affected said regions severely.

STATE	AREAS
Tamil Nadu	Cuddalore, Villupuram, Chennai, Kanchipuram, Nagapattinam, Chidambaram, Ariyalur, Perambalur.
Andhra Pradesh	Chittoor, Nellore, East Godavari, Krishna, Prakasam, Kadapa
Puducherry	Karaikal, Puducherry

Formation of Tropical Cyclone Nivar

Tropical Cyclone Nivar began as a disturbance in the Indian Ocean, specifically the Bay of Bengal region, and developed over time into a full-fledged cyclone.
A combination of factors can be held responsible for the formation of Tropical Cyclone Nivar, which includes warm sea surface temperatures and the rotation of the earth.
The rising of hot air masses due to warm surface waters in the Bay of Bengal, off the Tamil Nadu coast, led to the creation of low-pressure areas in the region.
The continuous rise of hot air masses in the area led to the intensification of low pressure in the region, resulting in the formation of a depression.
The further intensification of the depression resulted in it being named “Nivar,” and IMD issued warnings about the cyclone and its landfall in the concerned regions.
IMD categorized Nivar as a “severe cyclonic storm” on November 25, 2020, aka one day prior to its landfall.
Nivar made its landfall in the early hours of November 26, 2020, on the Markkanam coast of Puducherry and also later made a landfall on the Andhra coast on the same day.

Effects of Tropical Cyclone Nivar

Tropical Cyclone Nivar brought with it heavy rainfall; therefore, many places on the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast received heavy to moderate rainfall for days; Chennai received the highest recorded rainfall of 31 cm, and Puducherry received 30cm.
The loss of at least four lives in Tamil Nadu and eight in Andhra Pradesh has been reported.
Severe damage to standing crops, especially paddy, has been reported, particularly in the Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh.
The strong, high-speed winds that accompanied Nivar damaged communication lines, uprooted trees, and damaged electricity poles, resulting in an immense financial and environmental loss.
Continuous rainfall caused intense flooding in the affected regions, causing much distress among people.
Tropical Cyclone Nivar led to a loss of crops, property, and communication systems, which amounted to millions of dollars.

Cyclone Warning Systems in India

The Cyclonic Warning Division (CWD), established in 1990 under IMD, is a multilateral regional specialized meteorological center that is responsible for monitoring, predicting, and issuing warnings regarding tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean region.

The Cyclone Warning Division aims to strengthen the link between the early warning system of cyclones and disaster management to improve cyclone warning effectiveness in India.

Important tasks done by the Cyclone Warning Division (CWD):

round-the-clock surveillance over the entirety of the North Indian Ocean region.
Detecting, tracking, and predicting cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.
Issuing cyclone warning alerts to TV channels, All India Radio, print media, and other forms of media.
Analyzing and collecting global meteorological data for more effective cyclonic predictions in the region.
Coordinating with the government and required agencies on all matters concerning cyclonic storms.
Keeping a record of all past cyclonic activities in the region by collating sources from different agencies.

Cyclonic Warning Centers (CWCs) and Area Cyclonic Warning Centers (ACWCs):

The Meteorological Department is situated in Hyderabad and the details of CWCs and ACWCs are as follows:

Cyclonic Warning Centers (CWCs)	Area Cyclonic Warning Centers (ACWCs)
Vishakhapatnam	Kolkata
Ahmedabad	Mumbai
Pune	Chennai
Bhubaneswar

The CWCs and ACWCs cover the east and west coasts of India to cater to the need for cyclone warning services and marine weather services.

The function of CWCs and ACWCs is to issue several specific warnings for different purposes to various groups of people in their respective regions, like fishermen, the press, the navy, ships sailing at sea, the aviation sector, etc.

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