Typhoon Gay, also known as the Kavali Cyclone of 1989,|group="nb" Owing to its small size, the system began strengthening within the narrow gulf by taking advantage of warm waters and good outflow. Moving generally northwestward, it became a tropical depression later that day and underwent rapid intensification. As the newly named Tropical Storm Gay strengthened, it "presented a paradox to forecasters", according to Lieutenant Dianne K. Crittenden; synoptic data from Malaysia and Thailand indicated decreasing wind speeds and increasing barometric pressures around the storm, but these observations were later interpreted as increased subsidence.
Strengthening faster than anticipated, Gay attained typhoon status early on 3 November. Later that day, the storm developed an eye before passing over the Seacrest, an oil drilling ship. The Japan Meteorological Agency assessed that the storm had ten-minute sustained winds of 140 km/h (85 mph) and a pressure of 960 mbar (hPa; 28.35 inHg). Crossing the Kra Isthmus, Gay weakened to minimal typhoon status as it entered the Bay of Bengal.|group="nb" Gay was the first typhoon since 1891 to form in the Gulf of Thailand and enter the Bay of Bengal. Additionally, the agency estimated the cyclone's central pressure to have decreased to 930 mbar (hPa; 27.46 inHg). Around 1800 UTC, Gay made landfall over a sparsely populated area near Kavali, India, in Andhra Pradesh. Upon coming ashore, the storm's eye was about 20 km (12 mi) wide, with gale-force winds within 95 km (60 mi) of the center. Now over land, Gay no longer had access to warm waters, causing it to weaken to a tropical storm less than twelve hours after this landfall. At least 16 vessels were reported missing by 5 November, including the Unocal Corporation oil drilling ship Seacrest. Two days after the sinking, four rescue ships and two helicopters in the region were searching for survivors; four people were rescued from the wreckage on 6 November. Divers from the Thai Navy were sent to search the capsized vessel for anyone trapped inside. Of the crew, only six survived; 25 bodies were recovered, and the remaining 66 members were presumed dead. Losses from the sinking of the Seacrest totaled $40 million. Another 20 cargo and fishing ships sank during the storm, resulting in 140 fatalities.
Thailand
{| class="toccolours" style="text-align:center;font-size:88%;float:right; margin:0.5em 0 0.5em 1em; width:20em;"
|+ <big>Effects in Thailand</big>
|- style="padding: 0; margin: 0"
|colspan="6" style="padding: 0; margin: 0"|
{|class="collapsible" style="margin: 0 auto; width:100%"
! colspan="4" style="background:lavender"|Casualties and damage
|- style="font-size:80%;background:lavender"
!Province
!Deaths
!Missing
!Damage
|-
|align="left"|Chumphon
| style="text-align:center;"|446
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|$439,736,924
|-
|align="left"|Prachuap Khiri Khan
| style="text-align:center;"|19
| style="text-align:center;"|84
| style="text-align:center;"|$7,810,000
|-
|align="left"|Ranong
| style="text-align:center;"|21
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|$3,550,000
|-
|align="left"|Pattani
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|N/A
|-
|align="left"|Surat Thani
| style="text-align:center;"|66
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|$2,778,250
|-
|align="left"|Rayong
| style="text-align:center;"|3
| style="text-align:center;"|50
| style="text-align:center;"|$1,259,023
|-
|align="left"|Phetchaburi
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|$879
|-
|align="left"|Trat
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|$63,008
|-
|align="left"|Offshore
| style="text-align:center;"|184
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|$1,210,938
|-
|align="left"|Seacrest
| style="text-align:center;"|91
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|$40,000,000
|-
|align="left"|Total
| style="text-align:center;"|833
| style="text-align:center;"|134
| style="text-align:center;"|$496,511,534
|- style="padding: 0; margin: 0"
|colspan="6" style="padding: 0; margin: 0"|
|}
|}
thumb|right|250px|Downed trees and damaged buildings in Chumphon Province
Striking Thailand with unprecedented strength, Typhoon Gay caused catastrophic damage across many of its provinces. Rainfall amounts peaked at Chumphon, where fell during the cyclone's passage. Widespread disruption of communication and electricity occurred in most areas south of Bangkok; many households remained without power for weeks. Damaging winds uprooted numerous trees and power poles and toppled wooden houses built on stilts. Entire districts were reportedly "flattened" in Chumphon and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces. The typhoon destroyed many schools across Chumphon and Surat Thani provinces, many of which were constructed of wood. All structures close to the storm's path had their windows and doors blown out, and some multi-story buildings lost their upper floors. A few schools constructed from reinforced concrete sustained little damage. More than a thousand roads and 194 bridges were damaged or washed away. Monetary losses reached 11 billion baht (US$456.5 million), ranking Gay as one of the costliest disasters in the country's history.
Within a week of the storm's passage, the Government of Thailand began distributing relief goods to residents throughout the affected provinces. Following considerable criticism for downplaying the impact of the typhoon, Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan delayed his visit to the United States to oversee relief efforts. By 15 November, the United States pledged to donate US$25,000 for recovery operations. Telephone connection was restored from Bangkok to Prachuap Khiri Khan by this time; however, areas further south remained disconnected. Generators were brought in to keep hospitals and government offices running since much of Chumphon Province remained without electricity for more than two weeks. As the scale of damage became more apparent, a request for international aid was made on 17 November to the United Nations Disaster Relief Organization. Upon the announcement of the request, six countries pledged to provide nearly US$510,000 in funds collectively.
Following post-storm surveys, it was determined that most of the severely damaged schools had been built improperlybuilding codes in Thailand mandate that structures withstand up to 120 kgf/m<sup>2</sup> of pressure from winds. In the years following the typhoon, studies determined how best to rebuild: reinforced concrete structures that can last fifty years. A few days before the cyclone made landfall, officials in Andhra Pradesh began evacuating roughly 50,000 residents along the coast and stockpiled relief goods. Some people were forced to leave vulnerable locations in the Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts. Local meteorologists warned that the storm was comparable to a cyclone in 1977 that killed more than ten thousand. Striking the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh, Gay produced wind gusts estimated at 230 km/h (145 mph). Along the coast, a storm surge of inundated areas up to inland, washing away numerous structures. About outside of Kavali, a tall, steel lattice microwave tower collapsed after experiencing winds estimated at 142 km/h (88 mph). Transportation and communication across the region was disrupted and 20,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, leaving at least 100,000 people homeless. Nearly every structure in Annagaripalem were severely damaged or destroyed. Throughout Andhra Pradesh, 69 fatalities and () worth of damage was attributed to Gay. In the months after the storm, concrete shelters were built to house displaced persons.
See also
- List of the most intense tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean basin
- Tropical Storm Harriet (1962) – deadliest tropical cyclone to impact Thailand
- Cyclone Forrest (1992)
- Typhoon Durian (2006)
- Tropical Depressions Wilma and BOB 05 (2013)
- Tropical Storm Podul (2013)
- Cyclone Senyar (2025) – the third-deadliest tropical cyclone to ever affect Thailand
Notes
References
External links
- Japan Meteorological Agency
- Joint Typhoon Warning Center
- India Meteorological Department