Cyclone Thane came ashore in southeastern India in late December 2011, killing at least 47 people, flattening homes, destroying crops, and leaving tens of thousands in need of emergency aid. Some aid workers feared that Thane may have caused more property and infrastructure damage in the region than the tsunami that struck in 2004.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this natural-color image on December 29, 2011. The center of the storm spins just off the coast of southeastern India, and clouds extend over India and Sri Lanka.
Thane formed as a tropical storm on December 25, 2011, and strengthened into a cyclone by December 28. When the storm made landfall, it brought high winds and tidal surges. Thane knocked out power in many areas, disrupted drinking-water supplies, and blocked roads with uprooted trees.
NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC. Caption by Michon Scott.
