▁On ▁January ▁ 1 7 , ▁R S MC ▁La ▁Re union ▁started ▁to ▁monitor ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁low ▁pressure ▁that ▁had ▁developed ▁within ▁the ▁Moz amb ique ▁Channel ▁about ▁ 6 2 0   km ▁( 3 6 5   mi ) ▁to ▁the ▁north west ▁of ▁Ant an an ar ivo , ▁Mad agas car . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁days ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁low ▁pressure ▁rapidly ▁developed ▁further ▁in ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁fav ou rable ▁conditions . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁over night ▁hours ▁of ▁January ▁ 1 8 , ▁a ▁ship ▁carrying ▁ 5 4 ▁people ▁s ank ▁on ▁its ▁way ▁from ▁An jou an ▁to ▁May otte ▁amid st ▁rough ▁se as ▁produced ▁by ▁Fun so . ▁At ▁least ▁ 1 5 ▁passengers ▁d rown ed ▁while ▁do z ens ▁remain ▁missing . ▁The ▁M p um al anga ▁and ▁L imp opo ▁regions ▁of ▁South ▁Africa , ▁which ▁were ▁hit ▁by ▁flo oding ▁from ▁D ando , ▁was ▁at ▁risk ▁of ▁further ▁flo oding ▁and ▁water bor ne ▁dise ases ▁by ▁January ▁ 2 0 . ▁ ▁Early ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 9 , ▁R S MC ▁La ▁Re union ▁declared ▁the ▁disturb ance ▁Trop ical ▁De pression ▁ 0 8 , ▁shortly ▁before ▁the ▁J TW C ▁also ▁initi ated ▁advis ories ▁and ▁declared ▁the ▁de pression ▁" T rop ical ▁Cy clone ▁ 0 8 S " ▁as ▁it ▁became ▁equivalent ▁to ▁a ▁tropical ▁storm . ▁Later ▁that ▁day ▁the ▁Mal ag asy ▁national ▁weather ▁service