Cyclone Indlala

Cyclone Indlala

Intense Tropical Cyclone Indlala was a tropical cyclone that caused severe damage in Madagascar in 2007. The 12th tropical system, 9th named storm, and 5th intense tropical cyclone of the 2006-07 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, Indlala developed on March 3, 2007 as a tropical depression. It moved westward and was upgraded to Tropical Depression 12 on March 6. In an area of favorable environment for tropical cyclone formation, it tracked westward, steadily intensifying. It was upgraded to Moderate Tropical Storm Indlala on March 12. It continued to intensify and became a Severe Tropical Storm the next day. It then became a Tropical cyclone that same day as it moved westward and was upgraded to Intense Tropical Cyclone Indlala as it reached its peak intensity of 155 mph shortly before making landfall in the northeastern section of Madagascar.

The storm resulted in 150 fatalities in Madagascar. 126 people were also reported missing, and 125,000 people were directly affected by the storm. Severe flooding, high wind and storm surge pounded the coastal areas, while inland, flooding from heavy rainfall caused extreme damage. In Maroanstetra, one of the hardest hit regions, the entire region was flooded, and 90 percent of the surrounding villages were flooded. Ten percent of the concrete houses and 35 percent of traditional wood houses were destroyed there. Damage totaled to US$240 million.