Malagasy Cyclone Season
Wednesday, 19. November 2008, 09:29:56
Yesterday a severe hurricane hit the Opera Community and swept many of my blog readers away. Hopefully you all survived (at better pastures). The maintenance hurricane went on and on for several hours, and some of the aftermaths of the large maintenance waves are still visible. Sorry for any inconveniences!
In the Indian Ocean they call their hurricanes “cyclones”, but that certainly doesn’t make them more gentle.
The Malagasy cyclone season usually starts in December and runs through April, when storms hit some of the poorest regions of Madagascar. Around 70 percent of Madagascar's population live on less than a dollar a day. 2007 was the worst year on record, with six cyclones affecting nearly half a million people, mainly in the central and northern parts of Madagascar. In the south drought on the other hand has persisted for several years.
Madagascar is more frequently and severely affected by natural disasters than any other country in Africa. Floods are common and cause displacement of thousands of people every year throughout the island including large urban areas like the capital, Antananarivo. In the context of climate change, Madagascar needs to prepare. The major risks are all weather related: cyclones, floods and drought.
While extreme weather events have always been part of Madagascar's history, the disaster management community is starting to take a new approach to them. Realising the huge impact that natural hazards have had on development programmes, the focus has shifted from being reactive and limited to response and recovery after an event, to a more comprehensive approach centred on preparedness. It is feasible to develop scenarios of the possible impact of a disaster and prepare, not only before the event, but also for better prepared relief efforts, ensuring that the most vulnerable are protected.
The Malagasy Cyclone Season (2008-2009) can be followed (in French) here - with repeated daily bulletins (in French) here - and satellite (cloud) image here.
* http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=81505
* http://www.meteo.fr/temps/domtom/La_Reunion/TGPR/actif/activite_en_cours.html
* http://www.meteo.fr/temps/domtom/La_Reunion/TGPR/saison/saison_trajGP.html
In the Indian Ocean they call their hurricanes “cyclones”, but that certainly doesn’t make them more gentle.The Malagasy cyclone season usually starts in December and runs through April, when storms hit some of the poorest regions of Madagascar. Around 70 percent of Madagascar's population live on less than a dollar a day. 2007 was the worst year on record, with six cyclones affecting nearly half a million people, mainly in the central and northern parts of Madagascar. In the south drought on the other hand has persisted for several years.
Madagascar is more frequently and severely affected by natural disasters than any other country in Africa. Floods are common and cause displacement of thousands of people every year throughout the island including large urban areas like the capital, Antananarivo. In the context of climate change, Madagascar needs to prepare. The major risks are all weather related: cyclones, floods and drought.
While extreme weather events have always been part of Madagascar's history, the disaster management community is starting to take a new approach to them. Realising the huge impact that natural hazards have had on development programmes, the focus has shifted from being reactive and limited to response and recovery after an event, to a more comprehensive approach centred on preparedness. It is feasible to develop scenarios of the possible impact of a disaster and prepare, not only before the event, but also for better prepared relief efforts, ensuring that the most vulnerable are protected.
The Malagasy Cyclone Season (2008-2009) can be followed (in French) here - with repeated daily bulletins (in French) here - and satellite (cloud) image here.
* http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=81505
* http://www.meteo.fr/temps/domtom/La_Reunion/TGPR/actif/activite_en_cours.html
* http://www.meteo.fr/temps/domtom/La_Reunion/TGPR/saison/saison_trajGP.html
WIDGETIZE