 Ava near peak intensity making landfall in eastern Madagascar on January 5 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 1, 2018 |
| Post-tropical | January 8, 2018 |
| Dissipated | January 9, 2018 |
| Tropical cyclone | |
| 10-minute sustained (MF) | |
| Highest winds | 150 km/h (90 mph) |
| Highest gusts | 215 km/h (130 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 965 hPa (mbar); 28.50 inHg |
| Category 2-equivalent tropical cyclone | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 175 km/h (110 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 958 hPa (mbar); 28.29 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 51 |
| Missing | 22 |
| Damage | $195 million (2018 USD) |
| Areas affected | St. Brandon, Tromelin Island, Madagascar |
| IBTrACS / [1] | |
Part of the 2017–18 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
Tropical Cyclone Ava was a strong tropical cyclone that brought devastating impacts to parts of eastern Madagascar in January 2018. The first tropical depression, first named storm, and first tropical cyclone of the 2017–18 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, Ava formed as a weak area of disturbed weather well northeast of St. Brandon on December 30. Monitored by Météo-France La Réunion (MFR), the disturbance drifted southwest, before intensifying to a moderate tropical storm on January 2. Ava drifted south afterwards with little change in strength; then among favorable conditions near the coast of Madagascar Ava rapidly intensified to tropical cyclone intensity by early on January 5 shortly before making landfall in eastern Madagascar. After landfall, Ava pummeled the region with rainfall and flooding as it weakens into a moderate tropical storm. Ava exited the landmass on January 7 and became post-tropical southeast of southern Madagascar on January 8, slowly drifting southwards as a vigorous low before dissipating a day later.
Ava's catastrophic impact caused at least 51 confirmed deaths in the country, while 22 others were suspected dead. Ava caused at least $195 million (2018 USD) or 744 billion ariary of damage, which was also driven by impacts of the seasonal monsoon which already brought periods of heavy rain and flash flooding in portions of the country.[2] The cyclone significantly impacted the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, and destroyed a large portion of the city's infrastructure.
- ^ "AVA : 2017-12-30 TO 2018-01-09". Météo-France La Réunion. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ^ "The World Bank: Madagascar Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Grant with a Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (Cat DDO) (P167941)". Documents, The World Bank. Urban, Resilience, and Land Global Practice. Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation Global Practice for Africa Region. November 13, 2019.