Cyclone Dineo

Tropical Cyclone Dineo
Cyclone Dineo at peak intensity hours before making landfall on Mozambique
Meteorological history
Formed12 February 2017
Dissipated17 February 2017
Tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (MFR)
Highest winds140 km/h (85 mph)
Highest gusts195 km/h (120 mph)
Lowest pressure955 hPa (mbar); 28.20 inHg
Category 2-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds155 km/h (100 mph)
Lowest pressure959 hPa (mbar); 28.32 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities280
Damage$217 million (2017 USD)
Areas affectedMozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Botswana, South Africa
IBTrACS / [1]
Part of the 2016–17 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

Tropical Cyclone Dineo was one of the deadliest tropical cyclones on record in the South-West Indian Ocean and Southern Hemisphere as a whole.[2] It was the first tropical cyclone to hit Mozambique since Cyclone Jokwe in 2008.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  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
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

The origins of Dineo can be tracked back to a cluster of thunderstorms that organized into an area of low pressure in the Mozambique Channel on 11 February. Over the next two days, the system gradually drifted in a generally southern track as it gained intensity and prompted the JTWC to issue a TCFA.[3] On 13 February, RSMC La Réunion declared that a Tropical Disturbance had formed in the area and began issuing advisories.[4] Located in a very favorable environment, the depression quickly increased in intensity and both the RSMC and JTWC noted winds of at least 65 km/h (40 mph) later that day, with the RSMC subsequently naming the storm Dineo. Dineo intensified to a tropical cyclone later on. It reached its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and a low barometric pressure of 955 hPa (mbar); 28.20 inHg on 15 February. Dineo made landfall on the coast of Mozambique, and it started weakening after landfall on the same day. On 17 February after making landfall, the JTWC issued the final advisory on Dineo. Dineo later dissipated after a few hours on the same day.[5][6]

Impact

Dineo struck Mozambique on 15 February as a tropical cyclone, bringing torrential rain and damaging winds.[7] Dineo was the first tropical cyclone to hit Mozambique since Cyclone Jokwe in 2008.[8] Satellite-derived estimates indicated up to 200 mm (7.9 in) of rain fell in Inhambane.[7] At least seven people were killed across the country,[9] including a child crushed by a fallen tree in Massinga.[10] An estimated 20,000 homes were destroyed and approximately 130,000 people were directly affected.[9] Widespread flooding took place in Zimbabwe, with Mutare, Chiredzi, and Beitbridge particularly hard-hit.[11] At least 271 people were killed by the storm and damage exceeded US$200 million.[12][13][14] The storm's remnants triggered destructive floods in Botswana.[15] In the month following the storm, a cholera outbreak in Mozambique and Malawi infected more than 1,200 people and claimed 2 lives.[16][17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "DINEO : 2017-02-11 TO 2017-02-17". Météo-France La Réunion. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Idai's Death Toll in Mozambique May Exceed 1,000 by Dr. Jeff Masters | Category 6". Weather Underground. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) - Cyclone Dineo". Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). Archived from the original on 12 February 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  4. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Warning 001 (RSMC) - Cyclone Dineo". RSMC La Réunion. Archived from the original on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  5. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Warning (RSMC) 003 - Cyclone Dineo". RSMC La Réunion. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  6. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Warning (JTWC) 001 - Cyclone Dineo". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  7. ^ a b Shenaaz Jamal (16 February 2017). "Dineo lashed Mozambique with 200mm of rain". Times Live. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Dineo hits Mozambique". ReliefWeb. World Meteorological Organization. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Storm Dineo kills at least seven people in Mozambique - govt". Times Live. Reuters. 16 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  10. ^ "Child 'killed by falling tree', as cyclone Dineo hits Mozambique". News 24. 16 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Cyclone Dineo Hits Zimbabwe". NewsdzeZimbabwe. 16 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  12. ^ "Companion Volume to Weather, Climate & Catastrophe Insight" (PDF). Aon Benfield. 24 January 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  13. ^ "Urgent call for assistance to flood victims - Zimbabwe". 7 March 2017.
  14. ^ "Zimbabwe Flood Snapshot (As of 09 March 2017) - Zimbabwe". 9 March 2017.
  15. ^ http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/MDRBW003.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  16. ^ "Malawi Registers New Cases of Cholera". ReliefWeb. Voice of America. 18 March 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  17. ^ "Aid agencies in Mozambique call for support for Cyclone Dineo response - Mozambique". ReliefWeb. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
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