Cyclone Leon-Eline was a particularly long-lived Indian Ocean tropical cyclone which caused signifant damage in Madagascar and Mozambique.
| cyclone | |
|---|---|
| Formed | February 3, 2000 |
| Dissipated | February 23, 2000 |
Cyclone Leon
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionThe storm was first identified as a tropical low south of Java at February 3 by Perth Tropical Cyclone Warning Center at Australia. System was located about 325nm from Christmas Island, moving west-southwest and slowly gaining strength. First warning by Joint Typhoon Warning Center for Tropical Cyclone 11S was issued next day, and on same day it was named as Tropical Cyclone Leon by Perth TCWC. The cyclone continued its track to southwest whilst intensifying. It achieved hurricane strength at February 5, with estimated sustained winds of 70 knots and minimum central pressure of 960 mbar. However by February 7th Leon had began to weaken due to increasing wind shear and it was downgraded to tropical storm. Leon was moving now fairly straightly towards west. It crossed 90°E longitude at February 8 and became Southwest Indian Ocean cyclone. As it had left Perth TCWC's area of responsibility, it was renamed as Eline by Mauritius Meteorological Service. It was located about 500nm west-southwest from Cocos Islands, with sustained winds of 40 knots.
Cyclone Eline
Over next four days, Eline stayed at tropical storm strength with some fluctuations of intensity as it crossed the vast expanses of Indian Ocean. However by February 12 conditions had become more favourable for development and Eline began to gain strength again. On February 14 the system had turned course to west-southwest and regained cyclone strength with maximum sustained winds of about 70 knots. Satellite pictures revealed an eye of about 12nm diameter. On February 14 Eline passed about 125nm north of Mauritius and next day about 140nm north of La Réunion, dumping heavy rainfalls on those islands. It weakened briefly again but regained hurricane strength on February 16 and acquired more westerly track. The storm was now clearly threatening east coast of Madagascar.
At this point, Eline underwent signifant intensification. 1-minute average windspeed was estimated as at least 90 knots JTWC and RSMC La Réunion, but it may have been as high as 110 knots, equivalent to strong Category 3 hurricane. Cyclone Eline made landfall at Madagascar on February 17, about 30nm north of Mahanoro. The storm weakened considerably over high, mountaneous terrain of central Madagascar, but it retained its tropical characteristics, despite being downgraded to tropical depression when emerging again at the western coast of the island on February 19. It began to slowly reintensify and regained tropical storm strength later that day. On 21st, it once again became hurricane strength over Mozambique Channel. At this point it was about 300nm east-southeast of Beira, moving slowly northeast. Well-defined 32nm eye was apparent on satellite pictures at that time as system began began yet another cycle of rapid intensification and storm reached its peak intensity. On morning of February 22, Intense Tropical Cyclone Eline made landfall about 40nm south of Beira with estimated maximum sustained winds of 115 knots. Eline began to weaken and was downgraded to tropical storm by afternoon. Next day, Eline moved to eastern Zimbabwe whilst losing its tropical charasteristics and warnings were discontinued. A well-defined cloud system which was remnant of Eline was tracked over Africa for several days.
Cyclone Leon-Eline had been active over two and half weeks, crossed almost entire Indian Ocean during that time and made two destructive landfalls, both preceded by rapid intensification.
Impact
Eline caused considerable destruction on Madagascar. Over 60 000 people were affected with at least 10 000 being left homeless. At least 64 people were listed dead. Mahanoro was reported to have suffered 80% destruction. Effects were made worse by Cyclone Gloria which crossed the island in similar fashion just couple of weeks later.
Damage to Mozambique was even worse, though difficult to estimate. When storm struck, country was already suffering from disastrous flooding and heavy rainfalls, some of which were associated with earlier Cyclone Connie. At least 300 000 people were already displaced by this disaster when Eline struck in middle of it, seriously disrupting already stressed relief effort. For example, Eline sank four ships on Beira harbour, delaying arrival of emergency food shipments. Up to 150 people were reported dead because of the storm, but total casualties from floodings, some of it caused by Eline, may have reached 1000.
Only little over a month later, another intense long-lived storm, Cyclone Hudah, brought additional destruction over northern Madagascar and Mozambique coast, deepening the crisis even more.