Seychelles Damage, Loss, and Needs Assessment (DaLA ... - GFDRR

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Seychelles Damage, Loss and Needs Assessment (DaLA) 2013 Floods
Appendix 3. Seychelles’ Vulnerability
to Climate Change
Extreme Weather Events
Tropical Cyclones
Four intense tropical depressions have affected the
Seychelles in recent times: tropical depression Ikonjo
in May 1990, the tropical storm of September 9–12,
2002, cyclone Bondo in December 2006, and the
tropical cyclone Felleng of January 27–28, 2013. The
September 2002 storm had a maximum wind speed of
120 km/hr in the form of a very local ‘microburst’ on
the island of Praslin and caused exceptional damage to
biodiversity, general infrastructure, and houses when
it made landfall. The total measurable direct and indirect
losses were estimated to have been in the region
of US$ 86.7 million (Government of Seychelles 2004).
Cyclone Bondo in 2006 had a maximum wind speed of
287 km/hr within the Farquhar island group (11.1 o S). It
was the first category 5 storm to make landfall in the
Seychelles in 56 years. Tropical cyclone Felleng (figure
A3.1) impacted primarily the islands of Mahé and La
Digue and caused significant damage.
Trends
Generally, the equatorial region has been free from the
impact of tropical cyclones, but it is believed that with
global warming, anomalous warming will probably extend
into the lower latitude. Thus, conditions would
become more favorable for low-latitude cyclonic development,
and recent events are proof of that.
Figure A3.1 Satellite Imagery: Active Clouds Associated with Tropical Cyclone Felleng Affecting Mahé
and Some of the Inner Islands on January 28, 2013
Source: Seychelles Meteorological Services 2013.