Madagascar, Mayotte - Tropical Cyclone BELNA update

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 05:46:00 +01:00

Tropical Cyclone BELNA made landfall over Soalala District (Boeny Region, west of Madagascar) on 9 November with maximum sustained winds up to 140 km/h. On 10 December at 6.00 UTC, its centre was located approximately 30 km north of Antsalova Town (Melaky Region), with maximum sustained winds up to 110 km/h.
BELNA will move inland across western and central Madagascar, weakening to a tropical depression on 11 December before dissipating.
Schools along the west coast of Madagascar have been closed. Emergency teams from national authorities and international partners have been deployed to Boeny Region and to Mayotte Island, were the passage BELNA brought heavy rain.
Heavy rain will continue to affect central-western Madagascar over 10-11 December, while moderate rain is forecast over Mayotte.
The European Commission's Copernicus emergency satellite mapping service (EMSR415) was activated on 8 December for Mayotte Island, producing satellite maps for 5 eastern areas.

Madagascar, Mayotte, Comoros, Mozambique, La Reunion, Mauritius - Tropical Cyclones BELNA and AMBALI update

Fri, 06 Dec 2019 05:13:00 +01:00

Tropical cyclone BELNA is strengthening as it moves southwest towards the Mozambique Channel. On 6 December at 6.00 UTC, its centre was approximately 470 km north of the northern coast of Madagascar with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h.
On 7-8 December, BELNA will continue south-west across the Mozambique Channel passing between Madagascar and Mayotte, after that, on 8 December evening it will make landfall in the north-western coast of Madagascar close to Soalala Town (Soalala District, Boeny Region).
Meanwhile, Tropical Cyclone AMBALI, formed over south-western Indian Ocean on 2 December, is moving south-west offshore toward Mauritius. On 6 December at 0.00 UTC, its centre was approximately 1,200 km north-east of Mauritius with maximum sustained winds of 250 km/h. On the forecast track, AMBALI will continue moving south-west, weakening.
For the next 48 hours, heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge are expected in northern Madagascar, north-eastern Mozambique, Mayotte and Comoros while moderate rain is forecast over Mauritius and La Reunion.