Tropical Cyclone “Alvaro” makes landfall in Madagascar

Tropical Cyclone “Alvaro” made landfall near Morombe, Madagascar at 16:20 UTC on January 1, 2024, affecting over 4 500 people and causing significant property damage.

Alvaro formed on December 31, 2023, as the first named storm of the 2023/24 South-West Indian Ocean Cyclone season. By January 1, Alvaro intensified into a severe tropical storm and peaked around 12:00 UTC with sustained winds of 110 km/h (70 mph) and lowest pressure of 985 hPa.

The cyclone maintained this strength until landfall and then rapidly weakened over the mountainous terrain. At 12:00 UTC on January 2, Alvaro was an overland depression but when it exited into the Indian Ocean on January 3 it quickly re-intensified into a tropical storm.

Meteo Madagascar issued a Yellow alert on December 31 for the districts of Morondava, Manja, Morombe, and Toliara, urging residents and mariners in Maintirano and Toliara to exercise caution. After Alvaro made landfall, the alert was raised to Red.

The National Bureau of Risk and Disaster Management reports the relocation of over 400 individuals to safety at six evacuation sites. Furthermore, eight houses, six schools, and various other structures suffered severe damage. The regions of Haute Matsiatra, Atsimo-Andrefana, and Menabe were the worst affected.

The mayor of Morombe reported significant property damage and flooding in various parts of the city. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties, but the severe conditions prompted many residents to evacuate their homes, seeking refuge in schools and nearby villages.

At 03:00 UTC on January 3, the center of Tropical Cyclone “Alvaro” was located about 485 km (302 miles) SSE of of Antananarivo, Madagascar and was tracking towards the southeast.

It had maximum sustained winds of 74 km/h (46 mph) and gusts to 88 km/h (55 mph). The system is expected to continue to redevelop and strengthen through January 3 as it moves south-southeast over the Indian Ocean.

While it no longer poses a significant threat to other regions, moderate rain is anticipated to continue across most of Madagascar, including the southern-central regions, over the next 24 hours.

References:

¹ Severe Tropical Storm 01 (Alvaro) Warning Number (10/1/20232024) – Météo-France – January 1, 2024

² Le cyclone Alvaro quitte Morombe, des quartiers se retrouvent sous les eaux – linfo.re – January 2, 2024

Featured image: Tropical Cyclone “Alvaro” on January 1, 2024. Credit: Copernicus EU/Sentinel-3