 Cyclone Bella near peak intensity | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 18, 1991 |
| Dissipated | February 4, 1991 |
| Intense tropical cyclone | |
| 10-minute sustained (MFR) | |
| Highest winds | 215 km/h (130 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 915 hPa (mbar); 27.02 inHg |
| Category 4-equivalent tropical cyclone | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 240 km/h (150 mph) |
| Overall effects | |
| Missing | 36 |
| Areas affected | Rodrigues, Mauritius, Réunion |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1990–91 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
Intense Tropical Cyclone Bella was a destructive tropical cyclone that passed near the Mauritius outer island of Rodrigues. The second named storm of the season, Bella originated in the middle of January 1991 from a surge in the monsoon trough to the southwest of Sumatra. For several days, the system remained weak as it moved generally west-southwestward. On January 25, it intensified to tropical storm status, but Bella took three more days to intensify to tropical cyclone status, with 10 minute maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometres per hour (75 miles per hour). The cyclone attained peak intensity on January 29, officially reaching winds of 155 km/h (95 mph). The Joint Typhoon Warning Center unofficially estimated winds of 240 km/h (150 mph), the highest the agency estimated for any storm in the Southern Hemisphere in the year. Bella later turned to the southeast and weakened, passing about 50 km (30 mi) west of Rodrigues on January 31. The storm turned to the south-southwest and back to the southeast again, becoming extratropical on February 4.
While passing near Rodrigues, Bella produced strong winds and high tides, the latter of which caused flooding in the capital Port Mathurin. The storm was considered the worst on the island in 20 years. About 1,500 homes were damaged or destroyed, leaving 1,000 people homeless. Bella also severely damaged crops, roads, and the power grid on Rodrigues. The storm killed about half of the Rodrigues flying fox, a critically endangered species. Elsewhere, Bella was believed to have sunk a Madagascar cargo ship, with its 36 people on board.