The 2000 Sri Lanka cyclone was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the country of Sri Lanka since 1978. The fourth tropical storm and second cyclone of the 2000 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, the cyclone developed out of an area of disturbed weather on December 25. It moved westward, and quickly strengthened under favorable conditions to reach peak winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). The cyclone hit eastern Sri Lanka at peak strength, and weakened slightly while crossing the island before hitting and dissipating over southern India on December 28. The storm was the first cyclone to hit Sri Lanka with winds of at least hurricane strength since a 110 mph (175 km/h) cyclone hit in the 1978 season, as well as the first tropical storm to hit the island since 1992. The storm was also the first December tropical cyclone of hurricane intensity in the Bay of Bengal since 1996. It produced heavy rainfall and strong winds, damaging or destroying tens of thousands of houses and leaving up to 500,000 homeless. Nine died as a result of the cyclone.

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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1147: Reconquista: Forces under King Afonso I of Portugal captured Lisbon from the Moors after a four-month siege in what would be their only success during the Second Crusade. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Lisbon)

1616: The Dutch sailing ship Eendracht reached Shark Bay on the western coastline of Australia, as documented on the Hartog Plate etched by explorer Dirk Hartog. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eendracht_%281615_ship%29)

1875: The first performance of the Piano Concerto No. 1 by Tchaikovsky is given in Boston, Massachusetts with Hans von Bülow as soloist. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No._1_%28Tchaikovsky%29)

1922: The Third Dáil adopted the Constitution of the Irish Free State, based on the requirements of the Anglo-Irish Treaty establishing the first independent Irish state to be recognised by the British. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_Irish_Free_State)

1971: The UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, replacing the Republic of China with the People's Republic of China as China's representative at the United Nations. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_and_the_United_Nations)

_____________________ Wiktionary's Word of the day:

quorum: The minimum number of members required for a group to officially conduct business and to cast binding votes. (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/quorum)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

For out of olde feldes, as men seith,Cometh al this new corn fro yeer to yere;And out of olde bokes, in good feith,Cometh al this newe science that men lere. -- Geoffrey Chaucer (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer)