Cyclone Gonu

Sixty known tropical cyclones have affected the Arabian Peninsula, a peninsula between the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Persian Gulf. The hurricanes primarily affected Yemen and Oman. Most of the tropical cyclones originated in the Arabian Sea, the portion of the Indian Ocean north of the equator and west of India. The remainder formed in the Bay of Bengal off India's east coast. Collectively, the 60 storms have caused at least US$8.3 billion in damage and 1,693 deaths. The strongest and most damaging cyclone was Cyclone Gonu (pictured), which caused US$4 billion in damage and 50 fatalities when it struck Oman in 2007. Tropical cyclone damage in the Arabian Peninsula is chiefly due to flooding. (Full list...)