Cyclone Gaja

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Gaja (/ˈɡʌdʒə/; GUH-juh) was a damaging tropical cyclone that brought significant effects to South India. The sixth named storm of the very active 2018 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Gaja originated from a low-pressure system over the Gulf of Thailand that was first monitored by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on 7 November. The system then crossed over Southern Thailand and the Malay Peninsula, moving westward into the Andaman Sea. Under conditions favourable for strengthening, the weak system intensified into a depression over the Bay of Bengal on 10 November and further intensified into a cyclonic storm early on 11 November, being named Gaja. After tracking west-southwestward for a number of days in the Bay of Bengal, Gaja made landfall in South India late on 15 November, moving westward through Vedaranyam, Thiruthuraipoondi, Mannargudi, Muthupet, Pudukkottai, Adirampattinam, Pattukkottai, and Peravurani. The storm then tracked into the Arabian Sea; however, it degenerated into a remnant low under hostile conditions only a few days later, before dissipating early on 22 November. 45 people were killed by the storm. 8 people were killed in the town of Pattukottai alone. Gaja had severe impacts in South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu. After Cyclone Gaja, Tamil Nadu sought Rs 15,000 crore from the Indian central government to rebuild.