Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in Kutch, Gujarat, on Thursday evening and left behind a trail of destruction. Biparjoy has turned out to be the longest-lasting cyclone in the Arabian Sea. Here, we list the longest-lasting cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons, as they are know across the globe.
1. Cyclone Freddy: Cyclone Freddy’s heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides lasted for 37 days and holds the record for being the longest cyclone in the world. Freddy killed more than 140 people in Madagascar and Mozambique, and finally dissolved in Malawi on 15th March 2023. According to the Typhoon Research Centre of Jeju National University in South Korea, the cyclone broke as many as six meteorological world records and 10 southern Indian sea records. According to a report in Down to Earth, Cyclone Freddy broke the record for the highest ACE (Accumulated Cyclone Energy) with 87.01 units. Freddy is also currently the only cyclone to go through seven rapid intensification (RI) phases.
2. Hurricane/Typhoon John: One of the only tropical cyclones to be labelled as both a hurricane and a typhoon, Hurricane John formed over the Pacific Ocean on August 11th, 1994. The hurricane lasted for 31 days and held the record for the longest-lasting cyclone in the world before the record was broken by Cyclone Freddy in 2023. Since John travelled mostly over the Pacific Ocean, it did not have much impact on land, apart from mild effects in Hawaii.
3. Hurricane San Ciriaco: Hurricane San Ciriaco was one of the deadliest hurricanes in history, devastating life and property in Puerto Rico during the 1899 Atlantic hurricane season. The hurricane caused torrential rain for 28 consecutive days, killing approximately 3,400 people and leaving thousands more homeless. Hurricane San Ciriaco seriously damaged Puerto Rico’s economy as well, as it destroyed farmlands which were the source of income for many.
4. Hurricane Tina: Hurricane Tina caused heavy storms over the Pacific Ocean for 24 days in the 1992 Pacific Hurricane season. It was classified as a Category 4 storm, with 120 mph winds and 932 millibars central pressure. Although it was a strong storm, it was not a destructive one, as it never made landfall. Hurricane Tina’s only effect on human beings was heavy rain in Mexico.
Cyclone Biparjoy is one of the longest-occurring cyclones in India, having lasted for 10 days since the Indian Meteorological Department first observed its formation on 6th June 2023.
