Spring 2011 - 2012

Course Name:
Course Code:
Section:
Gonu Cyclone
Name

ID

Submitted On: 04 -06 - 2012

Submitted To: Dr.

Abstract:
Gonu Cyclone is an environmental phenomenon that occurs in northern Indian
Ocean and the strongest cyclone was in the Arabian Sea. Gonu Cyclone is a very strong
cyclone which its speed may reach more than 200 km/hr causing a lot of damage and also
affecting the areas close to the cyclone. Gonu Cyclone usually came with heavy rains that
lead to another environmental phenomenon which is floods. These cyclone and the floods
cause a lot of damage to the affected towns and cities and badly affecting their
infrastructure. There are many steps done to avoid or at least decrease the effect of the
cyclones such as breakwater and dams. (Cyclone Gonu, 2001)
This document will mainly discuss the Gonu Cyclone and its effects on many levels
needed to be discussed. It covers the following topics in our document:
1) Introduction and historical discussion of Gonu Cyclone.
2) Economical Effect of Gonu Cyclone on Fujairah and Kalbah and all the affected
areas by the Cyclone.
3) Effect of Gonu Cyclone on the infrastructure of Fujairah and Kalbah and all the
affected areas by the Cyclone.
4) Solution and recommendation for Gonu Cyclone issue.

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Outline
#

Title

Page

Abstract.

Table of Content.

Introduction.

Economical Effect of Gonu Cyclone.

Effect of Gonu Cyclone on the Infrastructure.

Solution and recommendation for Gonu Cyclone issue.

References.

11

Appendix.

12

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Introduction:
Gonu Cyclone has became an environmental threaten to the areas close to the
northern Indian Ocean as we can see in (Figure 1). Gonu Cyclone is considered the most
destructive tropical cyclone recorded in the Arabian Sea. It reaches its peak in the
summer with the increase of the high temperature and especially in June, and it may
reach very high wind speed which may reach more than 200 km/hr. Gonu Cyclone is
usually come with heavy rains (Figure 2) that increase the danger of the cyclone with
having floods and other environmental phenomena. We can refer the occurrence and the
big disaster happened because of Gonu Cyclone to mid of 2007. In 2007, due to the
weather conditions in June, a low pressure area occurred in the eastern Arabian Sea.
Gonu Cyclone mainly started at the Indian coast in 31-05-2007. In that day, the
meteorological services recorded tropical disturbance in south of Mumbai which also
came with cyclone and thunders as well. This cyclone started to increase with time and it
became along the western side of the low pressure area. In 01-06-2007, the cyclone
started to be stronger and cover bigger areas than the first day. In meteorologist, they
measure the strength of the cyclones with level of depression, and Gonu Cyclone became
very depression cyclone. With the time passing, Gonu Cyclone has became bigger and
bigger with the increase of temperature. On 03-06-2007, the cyclone was recorded as
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Gonu and the strength and speed of the winds kept
increasing which cause a lot of damage to the affected areas. The cyclone started to move
to the Arabian Peninsula and specially Oman. Firstly, the cyclone started to decrease
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when it reached Oman. 06-06-2007, was the day that Gonu Cyclone started to be strong
again and the winds started to gather again with high speed that lead to huge destruction
in some areas of Oman. As we can see in (figure 2), some parts of UAE is very close to
Oman such as Fujairah and Kalbah as well which we affected by Gonu Cyclone.
(Cyclone Gonu, 2001)

(Figure 1)

(Figure 2)

Economical Effect of Gonu Cyclone

Gonu Cyclone was a reason for economical problems happened in the affected
areas of Gonu Cyclone in UAE such as Fujairah and Kalbah and others. Fujairah and
Kalbah are known as tourism places in UAE because of their natural landscape and the
good temperature. Gonu Cyclone affects Fujairah, Kalbah and others areas and their
governments announced that there are potential dangers may occurs because of the
cyclone. We can say that most of the sectors in Fujairah, Kalbah and others areas didnt
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work as usual and some of them closed which affect the markets there. This delayed work
had affected the performance of the companies, and decrease their profits and many of
these companies lost a lot of many. Gonu Cyclone caused a lot of damage to many places
in Fujairah, Kalbah and others which coast their governments and municipalities a lot of
losses and also they paid in applying some methods to decrease the effect of Gonu
Cyclone and on the maintenance process all over these places. Many places in Fujairah,
Kalbah and others were flooded with water (Figure 3) and caused a lot of damage to the
personal properties for the citizens and especially to their cars. Insurance companies paid
a lot of for the damaged- insured automobiles. These companies were the biggest loser in
this period, because the damage happen to the automobiles were huge and they were
forced to repair all the insured cars and paying a lot of money for that. Gonu Cyclone
made all the parties of UAE to fully concentrate on how to avoid and decrease the threat
of Gonu Cyclone on these areas (Figure 4) which made a lot of these parties to delay their
work and focus on the cyclone. (Alkhan, 2007)

(Figure 3)

(Figure 4)
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Effect of Gonu Cyclone on the Infrastructure

As we know, Gonu Cyclone was recorded as very depression cyclone that came
also with winds and heavy rainfalls as well. All these factors affected caused a lot of
damage to the infrastructure of Fujairah, Kalbah and others. In (figure 7), hurricanes and
cyclones were scaled by Saffir and Simpson by noting the possible damage which may
occur with regard to the speed of the winds. The infrastructure of the affected areas was
damaged and needed a lot of maintenance to recover all the damaged placed. Many
streets were flooded with water which affect the strength of the roads and how much load
they can take which lead to many huge cracks in these roads (figure 5). The strong winds
uprooted the trees (figure 6) which caused a lot of damage to the places near to it and
smashed a lot of things. Also, these winds moved a lot of big things and let them hit a lot
of structures in the street and everywhere. The main damage occurred at the coastlines
and there was a lot of damage and also lost people who werent found in those areas. The
port of Fujairah witnessed a lot of damaged boats which reached more than 300 boats and
also the infrastructure of the port as well. (Cyclone Gonu, 2001)

(Figure 5)

(Figure 6)
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Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

Scale
Number

Sustained
Winds
(km/h)

120-150

150-170

170-210

210-250

More than 250

Damage
Unanchored mobile homes, vegetation and
signs.
All mobile homes, roofs, small crafts,
flooding.
Small buildings, low-lying roads cut off.
Roofs destroyed, trees down, roads cut off,
mobile homes destroyed. Beach homes
flooded.
Most buildings destroyed. Vegetation
destroyed.
Major roads cut off. Homes flooded.

Storm
Surge
1.2-1.5m
1.8-2.4m
2.7-3.7m
4-5.5m

5.5m+

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), USA

(Figure 7)

Solution for Gonu Cyclone issue

Gonu Cyclone was an international concern that made the people in the affected
areas worried about their safety, properties, and their own businesses. The government of
UAE decided to do a lot of things in order to decrease the effect of Gonu Cyclone. First
of all, UAE had a lot of breakwaters (figure 8) that mainly were there from the beginning
to break the strong waves and decrease the possibility for these waves to reach the shores
and the close areas to the sea and oceans. The governments recommended the citizens in
the affected areas to move to another places in order to be in the safe side and maintain
their safety. They also had some ideas to decrease the effect of Gonu Cyclone such as
putting some barriers (figure 9) at the coastal areas by the help of all the parties who
could help in this process. The governments didnt also forget to maintain the internal
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areas of the affected areas by also putting barriers in order to be in the safe side if the
Gonu Cyclone was so strong and the waves came into the city.

(Figure 8)

(Figure 9)

(Figure 10)

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References:
1. Alkhan, M. N. (2007, June 06). Gonu: Fujairah Evacuates. Retrieved June 03, 2012, from Gulf
News: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/general/gonu-fujairah-evacuates-1.465492
2. Cyclone Gonu. (2001, Jnuary 13). Retrieved
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_Gonu

June

03,

2012,

from

Wikipedia:

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Appendix
Figure #
Figure 1

Title
Cyclonic Storm Gonu off the coast of Iran.
Map showing rainfall totals around the Gulf of

Figure 2
Oman between May 31 and June 7, 2007.
Figure 3

Flooded areas in UAE.

Figure 4

UAE coastal areas affected by Gonu Cyclone

Figure 5

Huge cracks in these road.

Figure 6

Effect of strong winds that uprooted the trees.

Figure 7

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

Figure 8

Breakwaters in Fujairah.

Figure 9

Barriers the coastal areas.

Figure 10 Internal barriers in the city.

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