What is the ?landfall? of a cyclone?

What is the ‘landfall’ of a cyclone?

News: This is in continuation of the post on Tropical cyclone that was covered recently.

What is the Landfall of a cyclone?
• Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone coming onto land after being over water. As per the IMD, a tropical cyclone is said to have made landfall when the centre of the storm – or its eye – moves over the coast.
• A landfall should not be confused with a ‘direct hit’, which refers to a situation where the core of high winds (or eyewall) comes onshore but the centre of the storm may stay remain offshore.

Impact of Cyclone’s Landfall:
• The damage caused by the landfall will depend on the severity of the cyclone – marked by the speed of its winds.
• For Cyclone Biparjoy, classified by the IMD as a “very severe cyclonic storm”, the impact may include extensive damage to kutcha houses, partial disruption of power and communication lines, minor disruption of rail and road traffic, the potential threat from flying debris and flooding of escape routes.

What is the duration of Landfall?
• Landfalls can last for a few hours, with their exact duration depending on the speed of the winds and the size of the storm system.
• Cyclones lose their intensity once they move over land because of a sharp reduction of moisture supply and an increase in surface friction. In other words, while landfalls are often the most devastating moments of cyclones, they also mark the beginning of their end.