 Sea surface temperature anomalies in January 1983 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | March 1982 |
| Dissipated | July 1983 |
| Duration | 16 months |
| Very Strong El Niño | |
| +2.2 on the Oceanic Niño Index | |
| Maximum rainfall | 11 ft (3.4 m) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 512–596 direct, 8,500+ indirect |
| Injuries | 1,304 |
| Damage | $2.4 billion (2017 USD) |
The 1982–83 El Niño was described as one of the worst disasters in the history of Peru.[1] It is only one of only three El Niños to be classified as a Very Strong El Niño on the Oceanic Niño index.[2] Anywhere between 512[3] and 596[4][5] people were killed as a direct result of the event, with a further 8,500 dying in the aftermath of the El Niño.[3]
Meteorological background edit
The signs of an El Niño began to appear in early 1982, when a noticeable and measurable drop in atmospheric pressure was noted in the central and southeastern Pacific compared to pressures found off the coast of Darwin, Australia.[6] As the year progressed, more and more signs pointed towards an upcoming powerful El Niño event; from the collapse and subsequent reversal of the trade easterlies that traditionally prevent upwelling from occurring in the Western Pacific[7] to the various atmospheric signatures associated with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation.[6]
Effects edit
See also edit
- Other El Niño events
- 2016–17 South American floods
- Cyclone Yaku
References edit
- ^ "Main effects of the 1983 El Niño". United Nations University. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ "El Niño and La Niña Years and Intensities". Golden Gate Weather Services. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ a b Renzo Gomez Vega (10 March 2023). "Seven dead and thousands affected by Yaku, the cyclone that hits the coast and the Peruvian highlands". Elpais. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. "EM-DAT: The Emergency Events Database". Université catholique de Louvain.
- ^ Bob Henson (24 March 2017). "Weird Coastal El Nino Clobbers Peru: 80 Killed, $1.4 Billion in Damage". Wunderground. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ a b "The 1982-83 El Nino". Fcst-office.com. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ "1982-1983 El Niño: The worst there ever was". www.whoi.edu.