Tropical Cyclone Fakir was a short-lived yet damaging tropical cyclone that affected Réunion and Mauritius in late April 2018. The eighth tropical system and seventh named storm of the 2017–18 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, Fakir originated from an area of disturbed weather that developed north-northeast of Madagascar on 20 April 2018. The system concentrated into a tropical depression by 23 April, and was given the name Fakir later that day. It rapidly intensified while moving quickly south-southeastwards despite the presence of hostile wind shear, and reached its peak intensity early on 24 April, hours before passing just east of Réunion. Fakir succumbed to the wind shear shortly after and weakened as quickly as it had strengthened, becoming a post-tropical cyclone on 25 April. The remnant system decelerated and turned east-northeast while continuing to weaken, and dissipated the next day.
Fakir was the fifth and last in a series of cyclones to affect Réunion in the first half of 2018, after cyclones Ava, Berguitta, Dumazile, and Eliakim. Strong, gusty winds and floods and landslides resulting from heavy rains occurred across Réunion from 25 to 26 April, causing severe damage to agriculture and infrastructure. Schools and businesses were shut ahead of the adverse weather, and flights were delayed at the island's airports. Power lines were blown down or damaged by fallen trees in many areas, resulting in widespread power outages. Water supplies were also disrupted in some areas. Floods and mudslides affected buildings and public facilities all over Réunion, bringing about significant property damage and racking up large repair costs. A mudslide killed two people in L'Étang-Salé. Agriculture was heavily affected, with crops ruined by heavy rains and mudslides and livestock drowned by floodwaters. Total damage in Réunion exceeded €15 million (US$17.7 million). Immediately after the storm, disaster declarations were issued in 15 municipalities and cleanup operations commenced. In the following months, aid was distributed to farmers to help them recoup losses and restart their farms. However, the prices of fruits and vegetables remained elevated up to half a year after Fakir. In nearby Mauritius, cyclone warnings were issued and schools were closed on 24 April. However, impacts were much less severe than in Réunion, being limited to fallen trees, flooded roadways, and mild crop damage.
Meteorological history
On 20 April, Météo-France La Réunion (MFR) began to monitor an area of disturbed weather, characterized by a large clockwise surface circulation, to the north-northeast of Madagascar. Tropical cyclogenesis was not initially anticipated by the MFR, owing to modest easterly wind shear and the absence of significant low-level convergence, as well as an expected increase in northerly wind shear. The system deepened slightly on 22 April, and the MFR noted it had become a tropical disturbance at 06:00 UTC. It organized more quickly later that day, with thunderstorms developing near the system's center and forming a spiral rainband. This led the MFR to classify the system as a tropical depression at 00:00 UTC on 23 April. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) simultaneously assessed the system as a tropical storm. At the time, the system was moving quickly south-southeast, steered by a ridge to its east and an upper-level trough to its west. Rapid development continued through 23 April as an eye feature became visible on microwave satellite imagery, and the system was christened Moderate Tropical Storm Fakir at 11:00 UTC by Météo Madagascar; post-analysis by the MFR revealed that the cyclone had already reached this strength by 06:00 UTC.
Fakir continued to intensify over the next few hours and developed a central dense overcast, aided by significant upper-level divergence over its southern half. Despite increasing northwesterly wind shear from the aforementioned upper-level trough, the storm's rapid south-southeastward motion temporarily offset the hostile effects of the shear, allowing it to strengthen more than expected. The system became a severe tropical storm at 18:00 UTC on 23 April and peaked as a mature tropical cyclone at 00:00 UTC on 24 April, possessing 10-minute sustained winds of , gusts to , and a minimum central pressure of , as assessed by the MFR. Meanwhile, the JTWC estimated 1-minute sustained winds of . Wind shear began to take its toll on the cyclone shortly after, with the eye feature becoming less apparent on satellite imagery. Fakir passed just off the eastern coast of Réunion at 05:00 UTC, where a weather station reported a minimum pressure of . The cyclone weakened back to a severe tropical storm by 12:00 UTC, and further degraded to a moderate tropical storm six hours later as its center of circulation became exposed to the northwest of its remaining thunderstorm activity. These thunderstorms soon dissipated too as dry air associated with the upper-level trough to the west was driven into the circulation by the strong wind shear, while sea surface temperatures decreased along the cyclone's path. As such, the MFR and JTWC declared Fakir post-tropical at 00:00 UTC on 25 April. The remnants slowed down and turned east-northeastwards on 25 and 26 April under the influence of a low-level ridge while continuing to spin down, eventually dissipating entirely just after 18:00 UTC on 26 April.
Tropical cyclones passing close to Réunion in 2018, including Ava, Berguitta, Dumazile, and Fakir, caused a large reduction in the amount of mid- to upper-level clouds over the island. A combination of the Madden–Julian oscillation and tropical cyclones Dumazile, Eliakim, and Fakir resulted in a westward flow of moisture, causing severe rainfall over Kenya during March and April 2018.
Preparations and impact Réunion Fakir brought wind and rain to the island of Réunion, causing flooding and mudslides which impacted travel. High waves up to high affected the northern and eastern coasts of Réunion. A 12-hour rainfall total of was recorded at Hauts de Sainte Rose. Rainfall across the island averaged for that period. Sustained winds of and gusts up to occurred in Gros Piton Sainte-Rose. Flights to and from Johannesburg, Mauritius, and Rodrigues were either delayed or canceled due to inclement weather conditions. A tree was felled by the storm, blocking a street in Floréal. Around 280 homes lost power in Flacq, Trianon, and Henrietta after tree limbs damaged power lines. Metal sheeting damaged a high-voltage electrical line near Quatre-Bornes, leaving many customers without electricity. Electrical wires were downed in Bois-des-Amourettes, and power poles were felled in St-Pierre, Bois des Amourettes, Mahébourg, and Belle-Mare. Blackouts occurred in multiple towns. Winds downed a streetlight in Rose-Hill and a power pole in Agrément, St-Pierre. Signs for businesses in Sorèze, Plaine-Magnien, Bagatelle, and Curepipe were damaged by winds. A football field and several residences were inundated by floodwaters in Rivière-du-Rempart. During the storm, the Special Mobile Force worked to clear a road in Pointe-aux-Sables.
Twelve waste and recycling centers were closed, and the Kar'Ouest transportation system was disrupted due to severe weather. The latter reopened on 24 April. A married couple was killed on the southern side of the island, near Étang-Salé, after a mudslide buried their house. At least 114,000 residences lost power during the storm, however, all but 19,000 were restored by 25 April. Houses were flooded in Saint-Louis. Numerous schools sustained wind and flood damage. Officials estimated at least €7 million (US$8.26 million) in damage occurred to agriculture and that €4.5 million (US$5.3 million) would be needed to repair roadways. The road to Cilaos and the RN 5 highway were closed due to damage. The RN 5 highway was partially reopened during 25–26 April. Business activity was disrupted in Cilaos, causing losses to entrepreneurs.
Dozens of homes were flooded in Saint-André and roadways turned into gullies. Mudslides damaged the Joseph-Bedier College in Saint-André, necessitating at least €2.5 million (US$3 million) in repairs. The playground was entirely flooded, and at least 40 classrooms were damaged by water, mud, and debris; at least 6 rooms were ruined. Staff worked to clean 36 of the classrooms. In that town, one farm lost two melon greenhouses worth €30,000 (US$35,300) collectively, and of chilli fields were destroyed. Power and water supplies were cut to many homes in Saint-André. Although electricity had been restored in high voltage lines, a borehole was still offline, leaving at least half the homes in the area without water. Pipelines were damaged in Bras Citronnier. A fence was blown down by strong winds and lights were damaged at the Libra soccer field. A swimming pool filled up with mud and a gymnasium was inundated by water, with the latter resulting in damage to gym equipment. At one property, a home's wall and a retaining wall were destroyed, and a septic tank was lifted away by floodwaters. At another house, a generator was washed away and a steel gate was damaged. Floodwaters also washed a car into a ravine.
In Sainte-Rose, a farmer who produced 80,000 bananas per week suffered large losses. Another farmer lost of tomato plants. Banana and palm kernel crops were also crippled at the latter farm. Schools were closed on 26 April in the Saint-Pierre Municipality as a result of damage. In Sainte-Suzanne, dormitories and classrooms at the Hippolyte Foucque college experienced flood damage, resulting in classes being canceled on 25 April. Houses were surrounded by water, and a stall and parking lot were flooded near the Niagara Waterfall. Floodwaters formed a small island out of sediment and dead plant matter near the waterfall. On the same day, schools and daycares were closed in Saint-Joseph, St. Benedict, Port, St. Andrew, St. Paul, and Sainte-Suzanne. Extracurricular activities were also canceled in multiple cities. In St. Paul, schools and nurseries sustained damage, roadways were blocked, and access to water was cut.
The storm deroofed multiple residences and garages and downed electrical cables in St-Philippe. The Anse des Cascades was closed to tourists after dozens of trees were felled. At least 40 canoes and small craft were either damaged or destroyed in Sainte-Rose during the storm. One person had to be rescued after he fell into the water. Two of the vessels were unusable and another eleven required replacement engines or other repairs. Damage sustained by those thirteen ships was estimated to be €140,000 (US$165,000). The roofs and plexiglass of agricultural buildings were blown away by strong winds in Grand-Ilet. Twenty farms suffered damage during the storm, including one that lost at least 1,500 chickens. Locker rooms at a football field sustained damage, and the Bois-de-Pommes school was inundated by floodwaters. The church of Salazie village was further damaged. A potato field in the Plaine des Cafres region was destroyed by heavy rainfall. Sugar cane production across the island was significantly decreased by the storm. Total damage across the island exceeded €15 million (US$17.7 million).
Mauritius