Tropical Cyclone Berguitta - Jan 2018

Since the first week of January 2018, Mauritius has been experiencing heavy rainfall over the island (over 2,000mm) within one week. On Saturday 13 January 2018, a cyclone warning Class 1 was issued for the Rodrigues due to the presence of a tropical disturbance near the island. The tropical disturbance was centred 230km north-east of Rodrigues moving west-southwest direction at about 15km per hour and was expected to increase in intensity with winds exceeding 110km per hour. On 14 January, the cyclone warning was upgraded to Class 3 for Rodrigues island which based on the trajectory of the cyclone, was going to be most affected. The winds were moving at a speed of 50km per hour with gusts of up to 120km per hour.

On Monday 15 January 2018, a cyclone warning class I was issued for Mauritius and on Tuesday 16 January 2018 a cyclone warning class II was issued as the Cyclone intensified and continued to move in a general west south westerly track at about 10 km/hr. Active bands passed over the island on the night of Wednesday 17 January 2018 as active cloud bands continued to affect the island.

The cyclone was projected to make landfall at 12:00 hours on Thursday January 19, 2018. However, the cyclone was downgraded to a tropical storm projected to make landfall as a category 1 tropical storm. On 19 January, Tropical Cyclone BERGUITTA, continued its south westerly direction and passed at about 70 Km from the south of Mauritius. BERGUITTA reduced its intensity and finally passed near Mauritius as a Severe Tropical Storm. (IFRC, 24 Jan 2018)