What impacts are primarily caused by a tropical cyclone?

Tropical cyclones are intense storm systems that primarily produce significant impacts through storm surge, heavy rains, and damaging floods.

Storm surge is the rise in sea level that occurs due to the wind and atmospheric pressure changes associated with a tropical cyclone. This surge can inundate coastal areas, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. Heavy rains that accompany these systems can lead to flooding, particularly in areas that might be low-lying or prone to runoff, and can overwhelm rivers and drainage systems. Such floods are often exacerbated by the storm surge, compounding the risk to life and property.

Heavy rains can lead to land and mudslides, particularly in hilly or mountainous regions, and can result in severe damage to infrastructure. Thus, the combination of these elements makes storm surge, heavy rains, and damaging floods the fundamental impacts of tropical cyclones, and they are critical factors for emergency preparedness and response in vulnerable regions.

In contrast, the other options focus on phenomena that are either unrelated to tropical cyclones or typical of different weather systems, such as cold weather events or geological activities.