▁of ▁ 1 6 5   km / h ▁( 1 0 5   m ph ). ▁While ▁moving ▁to ▁the ▁n ortheast , ▁Deb ra ▁passed ▁within ▁ 2 0 0   km ▁( 1 2 5   mi ) ▁of ▁Europa ▁Island ▁on ▁February   2 7 . ▁The ▁storm ▁subsequently ▁executed ▁a ▁counter clock wise ▁loop ▁to ▁the ▁south , ▁during ▁which ▁it ▁began ▁weak ening . ▁By ▁February   2 8 , ▁Deb ra ▁had ▁weak ened ▁to ▁minimal ▁tropical ▁storm ▁status ▁while ▁acceler ating ▁to ▁the ▁sout heast , ▁although ▁it ▁briefly ▁re - int ens ified ▁the ▁next ▁day . ▁On ▁March   4 , ▁an ▁approaching ▁cold ▁front ▁absor bed ▁the ▁storm . ▁ ▁While ▁near ▁Europa ▁Island , ▁Deb ra ▁produced ▁g ust s ▁of ▁ ▁and ▁sust ained ▁wind s ▁of ▁. ▁ ▁Se vere ▁Trop ical ▁Storm ▁El ma ▁ ▁On ▁February   2 6 , ▁a ▁tropical ▁disturb ance ▁formed ▁in ▁the ▁n ort he astern ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁bas in , ▁well ▁to ▁the ▁east - s out heast ▁of ▁Diego ▁Gar cia . ▁It ▁origin ated ▁from ▁the ▁mon so on ▁tr ough , ▁and ▁moved ▁generally ▁to ▁the ▁south - s out heast ▁while ▁quickly ▁intens ifying . ▁Late ▁on ▁February   2 6 , ▁the ▁M FR ▁upgrad ed ▁the ▁de pression ▁to ▁Trop ical ▁Storm ▁El ma , ▁around ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁the ▁J TW C ▁began ▁tracking ▁it ▁as ▁Trop ical ▁Cy clone ▁ 1 7