Both countries were hit by tropical cyclones of similar strength in the same year. Yet, outcomes were quite different. Why?
| Sr. | Characteristic | Nargis | Ike |
| (1) | Type | Cyclone | Hurricane |
| (2) | Country | Myanmar | USA |
| (3) | Wind Speed at Landfall | 135 mph | 110 mph |
| (4) | Size (widest diameter) | 90 miles | 500 miles (about the size of Myanmar) |
| (5) | Category at Landfall | 3 | 2 |
| (6) | Formation Date | 27 April 2008 | 1 September 2008 |
| (7) | Landfall Date | 2 May 2008 | 13 September 2008 |
| (8) | Population Affected | 7.4 million | 47.8 million |
| (9) | Damage & Loss | $ 4 billion | $ 29.5 billion |
| (10) | Damage & Loss (% of GDP) | 6% | 0.2% |
| (11) | Death | 140,000 | 49 |
| (12) | Fatality Rate (per million) | 18,918 | 1 |
References
PONJA
Wikipedia
US Census Bureau
US Bureau of Economic Analysis
Foot note:
Hurricane Ike hit many other countries before it reached the US, however, this comparison looked at the Hurricane's strength and impact on the US only.
Estimate of population affected was based on population in the county and state that declared state of emergency and reported damage due to hurricane.
