Cyclone Hollanda
| Tropical cyclone (SWIO scale) | |
|---|---|
| Category 4 tropical cyclone (SSHWS) | |
| Formed | February 05, 1994 |
| Dissipated | February 14, 1994 |
| Highest winds | 10-minute sustained: 155 km/h (100 mph) 1-minute sustained: 230 km/h (145 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 940 hPa (mbar); 27.76 inHg |
| Fatalities | 2 direct |
| Damage | $135 million (1994 USD) |
| Areas affected | Mauritius, Réunion |
| Part of the 1990-1995 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons | |
Cyclone Hollanda was one of the most devastating tropical cyclones to have hit the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean since intense tropical cyclone Gervaise in 1975. In fact, it is one of the four most damaging cyclones to the island since the 1900s, the others being the unnamed cyclone of 1945, Carol in 1960 and Gervaise. Réunion island, about 200 km (130 miles) south west of Mauritius, was also affected but to a lesser extent.
Storm history
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionThe cyclone passed at about 50km to the west of the island on the February 10, 1994 when it strucked with all its force at around midnight. Mauritius was seriously affected, with windspeeds of over 200km/h and torrential rains (an average of 400mm for the island). The maximum gusts speed recorded was 216km/h when Hollanda was at its closest to the country, earning a warning cyclone class 4 (the maximum). A warning cyclone class 4 is issued by the Mauritian Meteorological Services when gusts speeds of the order of 120km/h is being recorded on the island and is expected to continue. On the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, Hollanda reached category 4 (winds speeds of 210-249km\h). Gervaise (1975, 280km\h) and Carol (1960, 250km\h), two other cyclones that hit Mauritius was category 5. Some sources issued that tropical cyclone Hollanda could have exceeded the gusts speed of 216km\h and reached about 300km\h in Port Louis due to the considerable damage caused in the northern part of the island. In the capital city, some concrete buildings were severely damaged and a construction tower crane collapsed. The Mauritius Meteorological Services rejected that Hollanda could have peak to a category 5 or a very intense tropical cyclone with gusts of 280-300km\h.
Impact
During the cyclone, two people died by a falling tree, 50% of the telephone system was down, electrical power was nearly completely out, 50% of sugar plantation was destroyed, many vegetables fields were devastated, 1500 people became homeless and concrete buildings were moderately damaged. Major roads were blocked by trees and lanslides. The estimated damaged caused by the cyclone was USD 135.4 million.
See also
- List of most intense tropical cyclones
- List of named tropical cyclones
- List of historic tropical cyclone names