The 10 Year Difference on between two Tropical Cyclone on Farquhar : Tropical Cyclone Bondo and Fantala
The Farquhar Atoll has been hit by two tropical cyclone in last decade. In December 2006 tropical Cyclone ‘Bondo’ made landfall and 10 year later the Atoll was again hit by the Tropical Cyclone ‘Fantala’ in March 2016. Part of the Seychelles Archipelago, the Farquhar Atoll is a set of ten small islands. It is situated 770km South-South-West of Mahé Island. Farquhar is the largest atoll of the Seychelles, covering an area of about 17,800 ha. The larger islands, North Island and South Island, make up 97 percent of the landmass of 799 ha. Three small islands, known as the Manaha Islands, separate these areas. Three other islands, Déposés, Ile du Milieu, and Lapins, lie in close proximity to one another on the northern rim of the atoll. Banc du Sable and Goëlettes are the most easterly, and the most southerly islands, respectively. Farquhar Atoll has become renowned for its marine based ecotourism and particularly for fly-fishing activities.
The Tropical Cyclone ‘Bondo’ made landfall on the 19th December 2006. In preparation the Island Development Company (IDC) evacuated 35 of its 43 residents that was on the island. The remaining eight stayed on the island in an emptied concrete water storage tank that they use as bunker during the storm. The workers that remain behind cleared the runway, and also to carry out the first assessment the impact of the cyclone.
Ten years later on the 17 and 19 April 2016, the Atoll was again hit by the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded to have developed over the Indian Ocean basin; Tropical Cyclone Fantala which was the sixth cyclone occurring during the 2015/16 tropical cyclone season. It made landfall twice on Farquhar Atoll, damaging almost all the infrastructure and coconut palm tree groves on the atoll.
There is no record of the economic impact figures in regards to TC Bando but the effect of TC Fantala are estimated at SCR 101 million, equivalent to US$7.5 million of which SCR36.5 million (US$2.7 million) are due to physical damages and SCR 64 million (US$4.8 million) are due to changes in economic flows, or losses. The sectors that was affected was mostly environment, tourism and military as their monitoring equipment was badly affected.
Tropical cyclone within the Indian Ocean is a natural occurrence that is on the increase with the outer island of Seychelles being more susceptible as they further from the equator. Their remoteness and accessibility add to their vulnerability. Effective preparedness, response and monitoring was the key during both cyclone. Early warning from the Seychelles Metrological Services and Division of Risk and Disaster Management at that time to all partners concerned has ensured that there was no loss of life. Farquhar being ravage by the two cyclone at a ten year interval is clear example of the effect of climate change and that the lapse of time between an occurrences is getting smaller whist the impact of the aftermath is increasing.
| Intense Tropical Cyclone Bondo | |
| Intense tropical cyclone (SWIO scale) | |
| Category 4 (Saffir–Simpson scale) | |
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| Intense Tropical Cyclone Bondo on December 20 | |
| Formed | December 15, 2006 |
| Dissipated | December 28, 2006 |
| Highest winds |
10-minute sustained:205 km/h (125 mph) 1-minute sustained:250 km/h (155 mph) Gusts: 285 km/h (180 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 930 hPa (mbar); 27.46 inHg |
| Part of the 2006–07 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
| Very Intense Tropical Cyclone Fantala | |
| Very intense tropical cyclone (SWIO scale) | |
| Category 5 (Saffir–Simpson scale) | |
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| Fantala north of Madagascar on 18 April | |
| Formed | 11 April 2016 |
| Dissipated | 27 April 2016 |
| (Remnant low after 23 April) | |
| Highest winds | 10-minute sustained:250 km/h (155 mph) 1-minute sustained:285 km/h (180 mph) Gusts: 350 km/h (220 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 910 hPa (mbar); 26.87 inHg |
| Part of the 2015–16 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season | |