Tropical cyclone effects by region

The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in eastern Africa that is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and east, as well as the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea to its northeast. The region includes Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia.[6]

In November 2013, a deep depression struck Somalia and killed 162 people while also causing extensive livestock damage.[7][8][9] In 2018, Cyclone Sagar traversed the Gulf of Aden and made landfall on Lughaya in northwestern Somaliland with winds of 75 km/h (47 mph).[10] Sagar killed 53 in Somalia, 2 in Djibouti, and 23 in eastern Ethiopia.[11][12][13][14][15] In 2020, Cyclone Gati became the strongest landfalling cyclone in the Horn of Africa on record, making landfall in Somalia near Hafun with winds of 170 km/h (110 mph).[16] Gati killed at least 9 people in Somalia.[17]

Satellite image of Cyclone Idai, one of the worst tropical cyclones on record in Africa

About 5% of cyclones in the south-west Indian Ocean make landfall along the east coast of Southern Africa, mostly affecting Mozambique, Tanzania, and South Africa.[18]

In April 1952, a cyclone moved ashore southeastern Tanzania near Lindi with maximum sustained winds estimated at 180 km/h (110 mph); this made the cyclone the strongest on record to strike the country.[19] The cyclone left 34 fatalities in Tanzania.[20] In January 1984, Tropical Storm Domoina struck southern Mozambique and later crossed into eastern South Africa. The storm killed 109 people in Mozambique, 73 people in Eswatini, and 60 people in South Africa.[21][22][23]

2000 was the first year on record in which two tropical cyclones of hurricane intensity struck Mozambique. In February 2000, Cyclone Eline hit central Mozambique after weeks of flooding, and their combined effects killed around 700 people and caused an estimated $500 million (USD) in damage. Eline also killed 12 people in Zimbabwe and 21 people in South Africa. The storm was followed weeks later by Cyclone Hudah, which killed three people in Mozambique.[24] The only other year to feature tropical cyclone landfalls in the country was 2019. In March 2019, Cyclone Idai hit central Mozambique, becoming the second-deadliest tropical cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere, and the deadliest on record in Africa. Across southern Africa, Idai killed 1,302 people – and affected more than 3 million others. Total damages from Idai across Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, and Malawi were estimated to be at least $2.2 billion (2019 USD).[25][26] About a month later, Cyclone Kenneth became the strongest tropical cyclone on record to strike Mozambique, when it moved ashore just north of Pemba. The JTWC estimated landfall winds of 220 km/h (140 mph). Kenneth killed 45 people in Mozambique, less than two months after Idai's deadly trek through the region.[27][28][29]

The archipelago of the Comoros and the French overseas territory of Mayotte are located in the southern Indian Ocean in the Mozambique Channel. Due to their low latitude, the islands are rarely affected by tropical cyclones.[30] In January 1983, Cyclone Elinah moved through the Comoros with winds of at least 136 km/h (85 mph). High waves killed 33 people and left US$23.1 million in damage.[21][30] In April 2019, Cyclone Kenneth produced wind gusts of around 200 km/h (120 mph), along with 10 m (33 ft) waves. Kenneth killed nine people and destroyed 4,482 homes, while damaging another 7,013.[30] Damage was estimated at CF81.7 billion (US$188 million), equivalent to 16% of the country's GDP.[31][32]

In April 1984, Cyclone Kamisy passed about 50 km (31 mi) south of Mayotte, producing wind gusts of 148 km/h (92 mph). Kamisy killed one person, cut power for 48 hours, and destroyed the island's crops, with damage estimated at €25 million.[33]

Cyclone Dina at peak intensity, one of the most damaging cyclones on record in the Mascarene Islands

The Mascarene Islands consist of Mauritius, the Mauritian island of Rodrigues, and the French overseas territory of Réunion, along with other smaller islands in the region.

In April 1892, a late-season cyclone impacted Mauritius, leaving 1,200 fatalities and causing $9.75 million (1892 USD, $277 million 2020 USD) in damage; this was the deadliest cyclone to affect the region in recorded history.[34][35] In February 1975, Cyclone Gervaise made landfall on Mauritius, producing the highest wind gust recorded on the island of 280 km/h (170 mph) at Mon Desert.[36] Damage was estimated at US$200 million, and 10 people died as a result of the storm.[21] In 1994, Cyclone Hollanda passed near Mauritius, leaving US$135 million in damage.[37] Severe Tropical Storm Monique passed just northwest of Rodrigues in 1968, producing a pressure of 933 millibars (27.55 inHg) on the island.[36] Combined with a previous tropical cyclone that affected the island earlier that year, Cyclone Carmen, the storms caused at least US$5 million in damage.[21]

The costliest tropical cyclone on record in Réunion was Cyclone Dina, which caused $190 million (2002 USD) in damage on the island, in addition to $97 million in Mauritius.[38][39] Dina also produced the highest wind gust recorded on Réunion, at 277 km/h (172 mph).[38] The storm indirectly killed 10 people; 6 in Réunion and 4 in Mauritius.[40][41] In January 1948, a tropical cyclone struck Réunion, causing 165 deaths; this is the deadliest tropical cyclone on record on the island.[42]

Some of the wettest tropical cyclones on record have impacted Réunion, including the wettest tropical cyclone of all time, Cyclone Hyacinthe.[43][44] In January 1980, Hyacinthe took an erratic track near the island, resulting in torrential rain falling across almost all of the island; nearly the entire island received over 1 m (3.3 ft) of rain.[45] At Commerson Crater, Hyacinthe dropped 6,083 mm (239.5 in) of rain, the largest rain total recorded from a tropical cyclone on record.[46][47] Overall, Hyacinthe caused $167 million (1980 USD) in damage, and killed 25 people.[45][21] Other record-breaking rainfall events caused by tropical cyclones in Réunion include Cyclone Denise, which dropped 1,144 mm (45.0 in) of rain in 12 hours and 1,825 mm (71.9 in) in 24 hours at Foc Foc; an unnamed tropical cyclone in 1958 caused 2,467 mm (97.1 in) of rain to fall at Aurere; and Cyclone Gamede dropped 3,929 mm (154.7 in) of rain at Commerson Crater.[48] Gamede caused an estimated $120 million (2007 USD) in damage in Réunion, and killed 4 people overall in the Mascarene Islands.[49][50][51]

On average, 1.5 tropical cyclones strike Madagascar each year, which is the most affected area in Africa.[52] Each year, tropical cyclones cause an average of U$87 million in damage, resulting in $20 million in emergency costs. Most of the island is susceptible to flooding from tropical cyclones, with the northern portion of the country most likely to experience a significant storm surge. Toamasina, located in east-central Madagascar, is the most likely area to experience tropical cyclone damage.[53]

In March 1927, a tropical cyclone struck eastern Madagascar, killing at least 500 people.[54] On March 7, 2004, Cyclone Gafilo made landfall in northeastern Madagascar just south of Antalaha as a very intense tropical cyclone, making it one of the strongest cyclones on record to hit the country. Gafilo killed 363 people in the country and left $250 million in damage (2004 USD). Nationwide, Gafilo destroyed over 20,000 homes, leaving 304,000 people homeless, more than half near Antalaha. The ferry Sansom, sailing from Comoros to Mahajanga in northwestern Madagascar, capsized amid high waves, killing 117 of the 120 people on board.[55][56]

Due to its proximity to the equator, the Seychelles is rarely affected by tropical cyclones. In December 2006, Cyclone Bondo passed through the Farquhar Group of islands, producing damaging high winds and waves.[57][58]

Hurricane Fred over Cape Verde at hurricane strength

The temperature contrast between the hot Sahara Desert in northern Africa and the cooler Gulf of Guinea to the south produces the African easterly jet, which generates tropical waves, or an elongated area of low pressure. These waves are often the formation source of Atlantic and Pacific hurricanes.[59] Occasionally, tropical cyclones develop from tropical waves near or along the coastline of western Africa. In 1973, Tropical Storm Christine developed over the country of Guinea.[60] In August 2015, Hurricane Fred formed just off the coast of Guinea, and it soon became the easternmost hurricane in the tropical Atlantic. Swells from the hurricane produced violent seas along the West African shoreline, destroying fishing villages and submerging swaths of residential areas in Senegal. Fred was the first hurricane to move through Cape Verde since 1892.[61][62][63] Other deadly storms in Cape Verde include Tropical Storm Beryl in 1982 which killed three people, Tropical Storm Fran in 1984, which killed at least 29 people, and Hurricane Debbie in 1961, which caused a plane crash that killed 60 people.[21][64] Although Western Africa is rarely affected directly by tropical cyclones, the extratropical remnants of Tropical Storm Delta in 2005 struck Morocco.[65] Tropical cyclones in the South Atlantic Ocean are unusual; however, a possible tropical storm formed west of Angola in April 1991.[66][67] In September 1969, a cyclone in the Mediterranean Sea killed nearly 600 people in Tunisia and Libya.[68]

The Arabian Peninsula is a peninsula between the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Persian Gulf. Although tropical cyclones often form in the southeastern Arabian Sea, most storms tend to dissipate before reaching the Arabian Peninsula due to cooler waters or dry air from the Arabian desert.[69][70][71] Despite that, there have been occasionally intense tropical cyclones to affect the peninsula. Cyclone Gonu in June 2007 made landfall in extreme eastern Oman near Ras al Hadd with winds of 150 km/h (93 mph),[72][73] making it the strongest tropical cyclone on record to strike the Arabian Peninsula.[74] Gonu killed 50 people and caused US$4.2 billion in damage in Oman, making it the worst natural disaster on record in the country.[75] In June 1977, a cyclone struck eastern Oman and killed at least 105 people; it was considered Oman's worst natural disaster of the 20th century.[21][76]

In 1996, a tropical storm that struck Oman produced the worst flooding in record in neighboring Yemen, as well as the heaviest rainfall in 70 years. The floods killed 338 people, and damaged structures built 2,000 years by the Roman Empire.[77][78][69] In November 2015, Cyclone Chapala became the first recorded storm to make landfall in Yemen as a very severe cyclonic storm – the equivalent of a hurricane – when it struck Ar Riyan with winds of 120 km/h (75 mph).[79][80] Just days later, Cyclone Megh followed a similar path and struck southeastern Yemen.[81] Collectively, Megh and Chapala killed 26 people and injured 78 in Yemen.[82]

Satellite image of the 1991 Bangladesh cyclone

Located in the northeastern extent of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh is highly populated and near sea-level, which makes the country vulnerable to storm surge flooding from landfalling tropical cyclones.[5] From 1950 to 2001, an average 1.26 tropical cyclones struck Bangladesh each year, most commonly in May and October.[83] About once every five years, a severe tropical cyclone affected the country.[84]

Bangladesh has a history of deadly tropical cyclones. A cyclone in 1876 killed at least 100,000 people, and another cyclone in 1897 killed 175,000 people.[84] On November 12, 1970, a cyclone struck Bangladesh, then known as East Pakistan, producing a 6.1 m (20 ft) storm surge that killed at least 300,000 people. This made it the deadliest tropical cyclone on record.[85] The cyclone wrecked about 400,000 houses, 99,000 boats, and 3,500 schools. The local government's lack of response to the storm was a partial factor in the Bangladesh Liberation War, one of the first instances in which a natural disaster led to a civil war.[86] After the storm, Bangladesh instituted a Cyclone Preparedness Programme to better inform residents of approaching storms, construct more shelters, and restore coastal mangrove forests to mitigate storm surge flooding.[5] Another powerful cyclone struck the country in 1991, killing 138,000 people and displacing around 10 million people homeless, with more than 1 million homes destroyed.[87] In 2007, a similarly strong Cyclone Sidr struck the country, killing 3,406 people. The reduced death toll, compared to the 1970 and 1991 storm, was partially due to the improved warning systems and more shelters.[88]

Satellite image of the 1999 super cyclone that struck Odisha

The India Meteorological Department issues warnings for all tropical cyclones in the northern Indian Ocean. Tropical cyclones more typically affect India from the Bay of Bengal on its east coast than the Arabian Sea on its west coast. The east Indian state of Odisha has historically been the most affected throughout the country, while the most landfalls by severe cyclonic storms occurred in Andhra Pradesh. On India's west coast, the most commonly affected state was Gujarat.[89] From 1891 to 2000, there was an average of 3.2 tropical cyclone landfalls in the country's, most of which were on the east coast along the Bay of Bengal.[90]

The strongest cyclone on record in the Bay of Bengal was a super cyclonic storm in 1999, which made landfall on Paradeep, Odisha, in October 1999, with winds of 260 km/h (160 mph).[89] The cyclone killed 9,887 people across Odisha, with 1.6 million houses damaged or destroyed.[91] Damage was estimated at US$1.5 billion.[92] The only other super cyclonic storm in India was a landfalling storm in Andhra Pradesh in 1977,[89] which killed at least 10,000 people and left ₹1.7 billion (US$196 million) in damage.[93][94] Other deadly Indian cyclones include cyclones in 1833 and 1864, both of which killed about 50,000 people.[84] In May 2020, Cyclone Amphan moved ashore in West Bengal, inflicting at least 1 trillion (US$13.2 billion) in damage; this made Amphan India's costliest cyclone on record.[95][92]

Afghanistan is a mountainous country north of Pakistan.[96] In June 2007, the remnants of Cyclone Yemyin caused damaging floods in the country that killed at least 56 people.[97]

The remnants of a cyclone hitting eastern India also produced heavy rainfall and snowfall in the mountains of Nepal, killing 63 people. The snow caught mountain trekking teams off-guard, and 24 hikers were killed by an avalanche near Gokyo, which made it Nepal's deadliest avalanche in Nepal to affect a hiking expedition.[98][99][100] On October 12, 2014, Cyclone Hudhud struck southeastern India and maintained its identity as a low pressure area as it moved through the country into the Himilayas. Hudhud interacted with an approaching trough from the west. The orographic lift of the mountains led to heavy rainfall, estimated at more than 160 mm (6.3 in), while also producing blizzard conditions in some areas. Avalanches killed 43 people, including 21 trekkers climbing Mount Annapurna.[101][102]

On May 20, 2020, Cyclone Amphan moved ashore near the border of India and Bangladesh, and continued moving northeastward while weakening.[103] Heavy rainfall in Bhutan caused landslides, flooding, and power outages.[104][105]

In June 2007, Cyclone Gonu moved ashore southern Iran after affecting the Arabian Peninsula. It was the first storm to strike the country since 1898. Gonu killed 23 people and left US$216 million in damage.[75]

On October 31, 2012, Cyclone Nilam moved ashore southern India. Heavy rainfall extended far from the circulation, resulting in flooding in the Maldives that left US$133,090 in damage.[106][107]

Cyclone Nargis shortly before landfall in the Ayeyarwady Region of Myanmar

In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis struck the low-lying Irrawaddy Delta of Myanmar with strong winds and a 3.7 m (12 ft) storm surge, killing an estimated 140,000 people, and becoming the country's worst natural disaster on record. This made Nargis among the deadliest tropical cyclones on record. Myanmar was largely unprepared for the cyclone, lacking shelters and an early warning system. Nargis damaged or destroyed more than 700,000 homes, leaving more than 1 million people homeless. Damage was estimated at over US$10 billion. In the ten years after the cyclone, Myanmar installed radar and observation stations while improving its early warning system.[5][108][109]

The 1999 Pakistan cyclone making landfall near Karachi in Pakistan

In December 1965, a cyclone hit Karachi, killing an estimated 10,000 people, making it Pakistan's deadliest tropical cyclone since 1950. It was one of only six cyclones to strike Pakistan from 1950 to 2012.[110] In May 1999, Pakistan's strongest landfalling cyclone hit near Karachi, killing an estimated 6,200 people; many of them were swept out to sea.[111] More than 75,000 houses were destroyed.[112]

Tropical cyclones occasionally affect the island nation of Sri Lanka, especially the north and eastern portions of the island. Most of the landfalling cyclones occurred in November or December, during the island's Maha season.[113][114] In December 1964, a cyclone produced a significant storm surge of 4.5 m (15 ft), with up to 2,000 people killed on the island.[115] A powerful cyclone in 1978 killed more than 1,000 people in the country, with more than 250,000 houses damaged.[113] In May 2003, a cyclonic storm stalled in the Bay of Bengal, and its plume of moisture produced the worst disaster on Sri Lanka in over 50 years. Flooding and landslides killed 260 people.[114]

Satellite image of Typhoon Saomai nearing the Chinese province of Zhejiang

One of the oldest known typhoons to strike China was in November 975, when a typhoon struck Guangzhou.[116] Each year on average, about ten tropical cyclones make landfall in China, and another two storms affect the coast without moving ashore. The most affected provinces are Hainan and Guangdong in southern China, along with Fujian and Zhejiang in southeastern China. Less commonly affected provinces are Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Shandong where the coastline curves to the northwest, and at which latitude most typhoons recurve to the northeast.[117][118]

In late August 1931, a typhoon struck Shanghai following a series of storms making landfall in China. The typhoon contributed to China's worst recorded flooding, causing a break in the levee along Lake Gaoyou and the Grand Canal. The breaks flooded a 25,900 km² (10,000 sq mi) portion of northern Jiangsu, including 80 towns, killing 300,000 people, according to contemporaneous news reports. In the city of Gaoyou, the levee break killed 2,000 people in the middle of the night.[119][120][121][122][123][124] In August 1975, Typhoon Nina struck the Chinese province of Fujian and progressed into central China, dropping torrential rainfall totaling 1,605 mm (63.2 in) over three days in the province of Henan. The resulting floods caused 64 dams to fail, including the large Banqiao and Shimantan dams, which directly killed 26,000 people and indirectly killed another 100,000 people. Damage from the floods was estimated at US$6.7 billion, one of China's most destructive floods on record.[125]

In August 2006, Typhoon Saomai became the strongest typhoon on record to strike China, with a central pressure of 920 mbar (27 inHg) and winds of 215 km/h (134 mph) at its landfall in Zhejiang. It produced wind gusts of 293 km/h (182 mph) in Wenzhou. The typhoon killed 456 people and left more than US$4.2 billion in damage.[126] China's costliest typhoon on record was Typhoon Fitow in 2013, which inflicted ¥63.1 billion in damage (US$10.4 billion) when it struck Wenzhou as the most powerful October landfall in mainland China.[127]

Satellite imagery of Typhoon Maemi nearing South Korea

In 1959, Typhoon Sarah made landfall just west of Busan, South Korea with sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph). It killed 849 people in the country, the deadliest storm on record in South Korea.[128] The strongest typhoon on record to hit South Korea was Typhoon Maemi in 2003, which also moved ashore near Busan with winds of 190 km/h (120 mph).[129] The costliest storm on record in the Korean peninsula was Typhoon Rusa in 2002, which inflicted US$6 billion in damage.[130]

During 2020, 3 tropical cyclones made landfall on the Korean Peninsula in a span of 2 weeks. The first, Typhoon Bavi, made landfall in North Korea. Typhoon Maysak and Typhoon Haishen would follow, both making landfall in eastern South Korea. Haishen would go on to make landfall in North Korea, while Maysak would impact North Korea as well. Combined impacts between Maysak and Haishen in South Korea were calculated at ₩606.3 billion (US$510 million).[131] The state television network of North Korea broadcast overnight during the passings of Bavi and Maysak.[132]

An average of 2.6 typhoons strike Japan each year.[133] In 2004, ten typhoons struck Japan, the greatest number in a single season, surpassing the previous record of six set in 1990.[134] In September 1959, Typhoon Vera made landfall in Japan on Honshu with estimated sustained winds of 260 km/h (160 mph), killing about 5,000 people in the country; that made Vera the deadliest tropical cyclone on record in Japan.[135] In October 2019, Typhoon Hagibis struck the island of Honshu and inflicted US$15 billion in damage, making it the costliest storm on record in Japan.[136]

Each year, an average of nine tropical cyclones strike the Philippines, with most landfalls in the northern island of Luzon.[137]

In November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in Eastern Samar and subsequently crossed the central Philippines; the storm, locally known as Yolanda, killed 6,300 people. Damage totaled ₱95.5 billion (US$2.2 billion).[138]

In 1984, the remnants of Typhoon Holly affected the Russian Far East, then a part of the Soviet Union. The storm produced the worst flooding along the Amur River since 1928 after a dam burst.[139] In 2020, Typhoon Maysak struck Primorsky Krai as an extratropical cyclone, which killed three people and led to ₽200 million (US$2.66 million) in losses.[140]

Each year, three to four typhoons hit the island of Taiwan. In 2020, no storms struck the island, marking the first typhoon-free year in Taiwan in more than 50 years.[141] In summer and fall, tropical cyclones typically produce 43.5% of the island's rainfall.[142]

In August 1959, Typhoon Joan struck southeastern Taiwan with winds of 295 km/h (183 mph), according to the JTWC.[143] In August 2009, Typhoon Morakot moved slowly across the island, dropping torrential rainfall reaching 2,855 mm (112.4 in), the highest amount for any Taiwan typhoon. The rains caused severe flooding and landslides, including one in Siaolin Village that killed around 500 people. Morakot killed 671 people on Taiwan, becoming the island's deadliest typhoon.[144][145]

Typhoon Gay shortly before landfall in Thailand

Thailand is typically affected by 2.9 tropical cyclones per year, mostly as tropical depressions. In November 1989, Typhoon Gay became the first typhoon on record to make landfall in Thailand since 1891, damaging 38,000 houses and killing 602 people. Monetary losses reached 11 billion baht (US$456.5 million), ranking Gay as one of the costliest disasters in the country's history.[146][147][148] The deadliest tropical cyclone in Thailand since 1950 was Tropical Storm Harriet in 1962, which killed 935 people.[149]

Each year, 2.6 tropical cyclones strike Vietnam, typically along the central or northern coastline. Typhoons account for 80% of annual disaster-related damage in the country.[150]

In October 1881, a typhoon struck what is now northern Vietnam, producing a storm surge that flooded the city of Haiphong, killing around 3,000 people.[151] In October 1997, Tropical Storm Linda struck southern Vietnam, where it wrecked thousands of fishing boats and killed at least 3,111 people.[152] In 2009, Typhoon Ketsana struck central Vietnam, causing an estimated 16.07 trillion VND (US$896.1 million) in damage.[153][154] In 2020, a series of storms affected Vietnam, beginning with Tropical Storm Linfa, which dropped 90.16 inches (2,290 mm) of rainfall in A Lưới. The storm killed at least 114 people.[155][156]

In April 1973, a cyclone in the Flores Sea struck the island of Flores; across the region, the storm killed 1,653 people,[157] making it the deadliest tropical cyclone recorded in the Southern Hemisphere.[158] In December 2001, Tropical Storm Vamei struck northeastern Sumatra after having moved from the South China Sea.[159] In May 2013, Cyclone Viyaru in the Indian Ocean produced flooding in northwestern Sumatra, killing at least four people.[160][161] In April 2021, Cyclone Seroja produced flooding and landslides across Indonesia, causing at least 181 deaths, and at least 3.4 trillion rupiah (US$235.7 million) in damage.[162][163]

In April 2021, Cyclone Seroja dropped torrential rainfall in the country, leading to 42 deaths. Damage was estimated at US$100 million.[164][165]

Satellite image of Cyclone Yasi nearing Queensland in northeastern Australia

Australia is a continent and island country in the southern hemisphere located in Oceania between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean.[166] On January 1, 1908, the Bureau of Meteorology began managing the country's weather recordkeeping.[167] Annually, ten tropical cyclones develop in the waters around Australia, of which six make landfall in the country.[168] From 1839 to 2005, tropical cyclones accounted for more than 2,100 deaths in Australia, mostly related to shipwrecks; this represented about 35% of deaths related to natural disasters.[169]

Australia's deadliest tropical cyclone on record, and possibly most intense, was Cyclone Mahina, which made landfall on Bathurst Bay in the northeastern state of Queensland. A ship, the Crest of the Wave, recorded a minimum pressure of 880 mbar (26 inHg), making it a Category 5 on the Australian region tropical cyclone scale and one of the most intense tropical cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere. The intense cyclone produced the largest recorded storm surge worldwide, estimated at 13 m (43 ft), which washed more than 800 m (0.50 mi) inland. Mahina killed at least 307 people, most of them due to 54 shipwrecks.[170][171]

According to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology, one of the country's most significant tropical cyclones was Cyclone Tracy in 1974, which killed 71 people in Northern Territory. Early on December 25 (local time), Cyclone Tracy struck the territory capital of Darwin, where it produced a wind gust of 217 km/h (135 mph) before the anemometer at the airport failed. The cyclone damaged or destroyed 80% of the buildings in the town, forcing 75% of the town's residents to evacuate, resulting in Australia's largest ever peacetime evacuation.[172][173] The total cost of the storm damage and reconstruction was estimated at over $500 million (1974 AUD).[174] Australia's costliest tropical cyclone was Cyclone Yasi, which struck Mission Beach, Queensland on February 3, 2011, as a Category 5 on the Australian region tropical cyclone scale. The cyclone left about US$2.8 billion in damage.[175][176]

On average, two tropical cyclones make landfall in Western Australia each year, of which one is a severe tropical cyclone. The earliest landfall in a season was in 1910, when a tropical cyclone struck Broome on November 19. The latest landfall in a season was in 1988, when Cyclone Herbie struck Shark Bay on May 21. Early-season cyclones tend to affect the Kimberley and Pilbara in the northern part of the state, while late season storms tend to affect regions farther south.[177] The highest wind gust recorded worldwide occurred during Cyclone Olivia in 1996. On April 10, the cyclone passed near Barrow Island before moving ashore Western Australia near Mardie. A station on the island recorded a wind gust of 408 kilometres per hour (254 mph), breaking the worldwide wind gust record of 372 km/h (231 mph), set on Mount Washington in the United States in April 1934.[178][179]