Cyclone Bondo
Encyclopedia
Intense Tropical Cyclone Bondo was a very strong tropical cyclone
that was the first of a series of five cyclones to impact Madagascar
during the 2006–07 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season. Originating from an area of low pressure, associated with developing convection
, on December 14, the precursor to Bondo initially tracked south-westward into a region of low wind shear
and warm sea surface temperature
s. Once in this region, the system began to quickly intensify, becoming a tropical storm on December 18. Throughout the day, the storm underwent an extreme period of rapid deepening
known as explosive intensification. By the afternoon of December 19, Bondo attained its peak intensity with winds of 205 km/h (125 mph 10-minute sustained) and a barometric pressure of 930 hPa (mbar) according to Météo-France
. At the same time, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
assessed the storm to have attained an intensity equivalent to a high-end Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale with winds of 250 km/h (155 mph 1-minute sustained).
After attaining this intensity, the storm underwent an eyewall replacement cycle and weakened. Once this cycle completed, Bondo briefly re-intensified before stalling north of Madagascar. As a result of the system's stalling, sea surface temperatures underneath the storm cooled due to upwelling
. The cyclone gradually moved south-southwest and once more intensified to an intense tropical cyclone. However, due to the proximity to land, weakening occurred before Bondo made landfall
in western Madagascar as a low-end tropical cyclone with winds of 120 km/h (75 mph 10-minute sustained) on December 25. The storm quickly after moving inland. The following day, Bondo weakened to a tropical depression shortly before moving into the Mozambique Channel
. The remnants of Bondo eventually dissipated on December 28 over open waters.
Although a powerful cyclone, Bondo caused moderate damage in northern and western Madagascar. Few reports of destroyed homes were released; however, 11 fatalities are attributed to the storm as well as another missing person. The damage wrought by the storm was compounded and worsened over the following months after four other cyclones struck the country, killing hundreds more and leaving several hundred million dollars in losses.
. Moving west, it gained some organisation, causing the JTWC to issue a TCFA on it. It was designated a tropical disturbance on December 17 by Météo-France
. The JTWC upgraded it to a tropical cyclone on December 18, and later that day Météo-France upgraded the storm to a moderate tropical storm. The Subregional Tropical Cyclone Advisory Centre in Mauritius
named the storm Bondo, a name contributed to the list by Malawi
. Following a quick bout of intensification, on December 19 MF reported that Bondo had strengthened into a severe tropical storm. At the next advisory, MF reported that Bondo had undergone rapid intensification, breaking Dvorak
rules, and upgraded it to tropical cyclone intensity. The JTWC noted that the tropical cyclone had "intensified at a greater than climatological rate" due to good radial outflow as it upgraded the storm from an equivalent of a strong tropical storm at 0300 UTC December 19 to a Category 3-equivalent
at 1500 UTC.
Further strengthening that day saw Bondo upgraded to an intense tropical cyclone, peaking at 205 km/h (125 mph 10-minute sustained) and 930 hPa. After going through an eyewall replacement cycle
, the storm began to weaken. Continuing to track south-southwestward as it weakened, it crossed an area of lower vertical wind shear and began to restrengthen near the northern tip of Madagascar
on December 23. Moving south-southwest parallel to the coast of Madagascar, it reached a secondary peak of 75 knots (147 km/h) from Météo-France before starting to weaken as it was about to make landfall. It made landfall around 1215 UTC, and the JTWC declared the storm dissipating over land at 1800 UTC, while Météo-France designated the storm as an inland depression. On December 26 M-F reported that the original low associated with Bondo had dissipated and a new low had formed associated with the system over sea. The RSMC La Reunion stopped issuing advisories later that day.
, which is part of the Seychelles
, evacuated 35 of its 43 residents. The remaining eight stayed on the island in a concrete bunker. The island of Agalega received at least 11 inches of rain from Bondo. Eleven people were killed as a result of Bondo and another was reported as missing. A total of 20,001 people were left homeless. One of the fatalities took place in Mahajanga
after a wall collapsed on a man. Another fatality occurred offshore after a man went missing while taking his family canoeing. Roughly 300 people were affected in the city of Mahajanga alone. Phone service and essential equipment were unavailable or out of service in the affected region, hampering rescue efforts. The outer bands of Bondo also brought gusty winds, recorded up to 45 km/h (28 mph) and moderate rainfall.
In conjunction with the International Red Cross, rescue teams in Madagascar were deployed to the hardest hit regions on December 27. These teams traveled by road to the region while a third team was set to arrive by helicopter several days later. By late-February, 2007, the Government of Norway provided $800,000 in relief funds for the combined effects of Cyclones Bondo, Favio and Clovis. On March 15, 2007, the United Nations
announced a funding program after three other storms had struck Madagascar. The goal was to provide roughly $9 million to about 300,000 of the millions of affected population. However, upon the announcement, only $3 million of this fund had been allocated. Following the widespread damage from Cyclone Indlala
in March, 2007, the Government of Madagascar launched an appeal to the United Nations for $246 million in relief funds for damage wrought by all five cyclones.
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
that was the first of a series of five cyclones to impact Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
during the 2006–07 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season. Originating from an area of low pressure, associated with developing convection
Atmospheric convection
Atmospheric convection is the result of a parcel-environment instability, or temperature difference, layer in the atmosphere. Different lapse rates within dry and moist air lead to instability. Mixing of air during the day which expands the height of the planetary boundary layer leads to...
, on December 14, the precursor to Bondo initially tracked south-westward into a region of low wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
and warm sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature is the water temperature close to the oceans surface. The exact meaning of surface varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air masses in the Earth's atmosphere are highly modified by sea surface temperatures within a...
s. Once in this region, the system began to quickly intensify, becoming a tropical storm on December 18. Throughout the day, the storm underwent an extreme period of rapid deepening
Rapid deepening
Rapid deepening, also known as rapid intensification, is a meteorological condition that occurs when the minimum sea-level atmospheric pressure of a tropical cyclone decreases drastically in a short period of time. The National Weather Service describes rapid deepening as a decrease of...
known as explosive intensification. By the afternoon of December 19, Bondo attained its peak intensity with winds of 205 km/h (125 mph 10-minute sustained) and a barometric pressure of 930 hPa (mbar) according to Météo-France
Météo-France
Météo-France is the French national meteorological service.The organisation was established by decree in June 1993 and is a department of the Ministry of Transportation. It is headquartered in Paris but many domestic operations have been decentralised to Toulouse...
. At the same time, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
assessed the storm to have attained an intensity equivalent to a high-end Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale with winds of 250 km/h (155 mph 1-minute sustained).
After attaining this intensity, the storm underwent an eyewall replacement cycle and weakened. Once this cycle completed, Bondo briefly re-intensified before stalling north of Madagascar. As a result of the system's stalling, sea surface temperatures underneath the storm cooled due to upwelling
Upwelling
Upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface, replacing the warmer, usually nutrient-depleted surface water. The increased availability in upwelling regions results in high levels of primary...
. The cyclone gradually moved south-southwest and once more intensified to an intense tropical cyclone. However, due to the proximity to land, weakening occurred before Bondo made landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
in western Madagascar as a low-end tropical cyclone with winds of 120 km/h (75 mph 10-minute sustained) on December 25. The storm quickly after moving inland. The following day, Bondo weakened to a tropical depression shortly before moving into the Mozambique Channel
Mozambique Channel
The Mozambique Channel is a portion of the Indian Ocean located between the island nation of Madagascar and southeast Africa, primarily the country of Mozambique. It was a World War II clashpoint during the Battle of Madagascar...
. The remnants of Bondo eventually dissipated on December 28 over open waters.
Although a powerful cyclone, Bondo caused moderate damage in northern and western Madagascar. Few reports of destroyed homes were released; however, 11 fatalities are attributed to the storm as well as another missing person. The damage wrought by the storm was compounded and worsened over the following months after four other cyclones struck the country, killing hundreds more and leaving several hundred million dollars in losses.
Meteorological history
An area of convection was first spotted on December 15 west-southwest of Diego GarciaDiego Garcia
Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....
. Moving west, it gained some organisation, causing the JTWC to issue a TCFA on it. It was designated a tropical disturbance on December 17 by Météo-France
Météo-France
Météo-France is the French national meteorological service.The organisation was established by decree in June 1993 and is a department of the Ministry of Transportation. It is headquartered in Paris but many domestic operations have been decentralised to Toulouse...
. The JTWC upgraded it to a tropical cyclone on December 18, and later that day Météo-France upgraded the storm to a moderate tropical storm. The Subregional Tropical Cyclone Advisory Centre in Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
named the storm Bondo, a name contributed to the list by Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
. Following a quick bout of intensification, on December 19 MF reported that Bondo had strengthened into a severe tropical storm. At the next advisory, MF reported that Bondo had undergone rapid intensification, breaking Dvorak
Dvorak technique
The Dvorak technique is a widely used system to subjectively estimate tropical cyclone intensity based solely on visible and infrared satellite images. Several agencies issue Dvorak intensity numbers for cyclones of sufficient intensity...
rules, and upgraded it to tropical cyclone intensity. The JTWC noted that the tropical cyclone had "intensified at a greater than climatological rate" due to good radial outflow as it upgraded the storm from an equivalent of a strong tropical storm at 0300 UTC December 19 to a Category 3-equivalent
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
at 1500 UTC.
Further strengthening that day saw Bondo upgraded to an intense tropical cyclone, peaking at 205 km/h (125 mph 10-minute sustained) and 930 hPa. After going through an eyewall replacement cycle
Eyewall replacement cycle
Eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones, generally with winds greater than 185 km/h , or major hurricanes...
, the storm began to weaken. Continuing to track south-southwestward as it weakened, it crossed an area of lower vertical wind shear and began to restrengthen near the northern tip of Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
on December 23. Moving south-southwest parallel to the coast of Madagascar, it reached a secondary peak of 75 knots (147 km/h) from Météo-France before starting to weaken as it was about to make landfall. It made landfall around 1215 UTC, and the JTWC declared the storm dissipating over land at 1800 UTC, while Météo-France designated the storm as an inland depression. On December 26 M-F reported that the original low associated with Bondo had dissipated and a new low had formed associated with the system over sea. The RSMC La Reunion stopped issuing advisories later that day.
Impact and aftermath
In response to the danger from Bondo, the Farquhar AtollFarquhar Atoll
The Farquhar Atoll is part of the Farquhar Group of islands in the Seychelles that are part of the Outer Islands. From 1965 to the independence of the Seychelles in 1976, they were a part of the British Indian Ocean Territory. The atoll is located at . The total area of the atoll, including the...
, which is part of the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
, evacuated 35 of its 43 residents. The remaining eight stayed on the island in a concrete bunker. The island of Agalega received at least 11 inches of rain from Bondo. Eleven people were killed as a result of Bondo and another was reported as missing. A total of 20,001 people were left homeless. One of the fatalities took place in Mahajanga
Mahajanga
Mahajanga is a city and a district on the north-west coast of Madagascar.- City :The City of Mahajanga is the capital of the Boeny region. Population: 135,660 ....
after a wall collapsed on a man. Another fatality occurred offshore after a man went missing while taking his family canoeing. Roughly 300 people were affected in the city of Mahajanga alone. Phone service and essential equipment were unavailable or out of service in the affected region, hampering rescue efforts. The outer bands of Bondo also brought gusty winds, recorded up to 45 km/h (28 mph) and moderate rainfall.
In conjunction with the International Red Cross, rescue teams in Madagascar were deployed to the hardest hit regions on December 27. These teams traveled by road to the region while a third team was set to arrive by helicopter several days later. By late-February, 2007, the Government of Norway provided $800,000 in relief funds for the combined effects of Cyclones Bondo, Favio and Clovis. On March 15, 2007, the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
announced a funding program after three other storms had struck Madagascar. The goal was to provide roughly $9 million to about 300,000 of the millions of affected population. However, upon the announcement, only $3 million of this fund had been allocated. Following the widespread damage from Cyclone Indlala
Cyclone Indlala
Tropical Cyclone Indlala was an Intense Tropical Cyclone that caused severe damage in Madagascar in 2007. The 12th tropical system, 9th named storm, and 5th intense tropical cyclone of the 2006-07 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, Indlala developed on March 3, 2007 as a tropical depression....
in March, 2007, the Government of Madagascar launched an appeal to the United Nations for $246 million in relief funds for damage wrought by all five cyclones.
See also
- 2006–07 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
- Cyclone IndlalaCyclone IndlalaTropical Cyclone Indlala was an Intense Tropical Cyclone that caused severe damage in Madagascar in 2007. The 12th tropical system, 9th named storm, and 5th intense tropical cyclone of the 2006-07 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, Indlala developed on March 3, 2007 as a tropical depression....