1999–2000 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

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1999–2000 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season: A brief, easy-to-understand guide

The season ran from November 1, 1999, to April 30, 2000, with Mauritius and the Seychelles extending the season to May 15. It was the first time two storms, Leon–Eline and Hudah, struck Mozambique with cyclone-strength winds. The strongest storm of the season was Hudah, reaching 10-minute winds of about 220 km/h (140 mph) and a central pressure of 905 hPa.

Season totals and intensity
- Disturbances: 14
- Tropical depressions: 11
- Named storms: 9
- Tropical cyclones (minimum hurricane-strength): 4
- Intense tropical cyclones: 3
- Very intense tropical cyclone: 1 (Hudah)
- Total fatalities: about 1,044
- Total damage: about $309 million (2000 USD)

Key storms and impacts
- Astride (Dec 1999): Affects northern Madagascar and nearby islands with rain and winds but limited damage.
- Babiola (early Jan): Strengthened to tropical cyclone strength east of Madagascar; passed near Rodrigues with strong winds.
- Connie (late Jan–early Feb): Brought heavy rains to Réunion (record rainfall in places) and caused deaths and damage there; also affected Madagascar and Mauritius.
- Eline / Leon–Eline (Feb): The season’s longest-lasting and one of the most impactful storms. It crossed the basin, hitting eastern Madagascar and then Mozambique. It caused severe flooding, the worst in Mozambique in decades, and led to hundreds of deaths and widespread damage.
- Gloria (Feb–Mar): Moved from Madagascar into the Mozambique Channel, bringing heavy rain and further flooding; left Madagascar and nearby areas affected.
- Felicia (Feb–Mar): Weaker storm that contributed to heavy rainfall in parts of the region but caused less wind damage.
- Hudah (Mar–Apr): The season’s strongest storm. Great winds and high waves affected Madagascar—causing many homes to be destroyed and leaving tens of thousands homeless—and also brought damaging winds and rainfall to northern Mozambique.
- Innocente (Apr): A weaker storm that formed late in the season and dissipated by April 24; still produced rain in Mauritius.

Overall picture
This season was marked by two powerful Mozambique landfalls at cyclone strength and by a very long-lasting storm in Eline, which produced widespread flooding and disruption across several countries. The storms caused substantial humanitarian crises in Madagascar and Mozambique, with thousands displaced and many lives lost. Warnings and tracking were provided by the region’s meteorological centers and international agencies, using the best satellite data and evolving labeling practices to monitor and name disturbances as they intensified.