[Wikipedia] October 25: 2000 Sri Lanka cyclone

[Faraaz Damji]

  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.

Read the rest of this article:
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Sri_Lanka_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)


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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)


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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)