In 1984, Madagascar began naming cyclones passing through the southwestern Indian Ocean region. Unlike today, where neighboring island countries and those along the east coast of Africa share the naming of tropical zones, it was Madagascar that assigned names based on the letters of the alphabet in 1984.
The First Cyclones in Madagascar and the Emergence of Kamisy
Few people remember the first four cyclones: Andry, Bakoly, Caboto, Domoina… but the most memorable for many is cyclone number K, named KAMISY, which devastated Mahajanga, Marovoay, and the western part of the Ambato Boeny region. It was one of the most powerful cyclones to hit Madagascar since 1911 (the date of the first measurement of cyclone speeds in our region).
In early April 1984, this cyclone formed near Diego Garcia, north of Mauritius, and continued to gain strength as it moved westward towards Madagascar. On April 8, Kamisy was classified as a tropical cyclone. On the morning of April 9, it struck Antsiranana with winds of 170 km/h. In addition to infrastructure damage (notably the Hôtel de la Marine), five people lost their lives. Approximately 39,000 people were displaced.
Cyclone Kamisy continued its path westward, then veered near Mayotte before making a short turn and returning towards Mahajanga. The warmth of the waters in the Mozambique Channel strengthened this cyclone. In the late afternoon of Tuesday, April 10, Cyclone Kamisy entered the capital of Boina with powerful winds (185 km/h, according to IBTrACS – Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society) and heavy rains (232.4 mm in 24 hours). Seawater flooded the streets, reaching the large baobabs and even the courthouses. Even the large drainage ditches were overwhelmed.
Many damages were caused to homes (many mud houses were damaged in Mahajanga) and various infrastructures (offices, businesses, stadiums, bridges), particularly the flooded fields.
45,000 people were affected in Mahajanga and the surrounding areas, and 15 people lost their lives. Cyclone Kamisy left a bad memory for the inhabitants of Mahajanga, inspiring a song by Clo Mahajanga titled “Tsy maty tamin’ny Cyclone Kamisy” (“I did not die from Cyclone Kamisy”).
Cyclone Kamisy then crossed the center of Madagascar, exited into the Indian Ocean, and dissipated. Many other regions of Madagascar were affected by the passage of Kamisy. In total, 68 people died across the island, and damages were estimated at $250 million. More than a thousand schools and 450 health facilities were destroyed or damaged, according to reports from the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements.
Naming of Cyclones for the 2024-2025 Season
For the 2024-2025 summer season, the names assigned to cyclones in the southwestern Indian Ocean region are: Ancha, Bheki, Chido, Dikeledi, Elvis, Faida, Garance, Honde, Ivone, Jude, Kanto, Lira, Maipelo, Njazi, Oscar, Pamela, Quentin, Rajab, Savana, Themba, Uyapo, Viviane, Walter, Xangy, Yemurai, and Zanele. The name Kanto was proposed by Madagascar.
©Ta Rabe