▁reaching ▁ 1 0 ‑ min ute ▁maximum ▁sust ained ▁wind s ▁of ▁ 1 5 5   km / h ▁( 1 0 0   m ph ). ▁It ▁passed ▁near ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Rod rig ues , ▁becoming ▁the ▁worst ▁cy clone ▁there ▁in ▁ 2 0   year s ▁and ▁killing ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁one ▁end anger ed ▁species . ▁B ella ▁also ▁likely ▁caused ▁a ▁cargo ▁ship ▁to ▁go ▁missing ▁with ▁ 3 6   people ▁on ▁board . ▁ ▁Three ▁storm s ▁developed ▁in ▁short ▁succession ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁half ▁of ▁February . ▁Cy clone ▁C yn th ia ▁developed ▁rapidly ▁in ▁the ▁Moz amb ique ▁Channel ▁on ▁February   1 6 ▁and ▁struck ▁western ▁Mad agas car , ▁killing ▁ 3 6   people ▁and ▁ru ining ▁local ▁rice ▁har v ests . ▁A ▁resid ual ▁tr ough ▁after ▁C yn th ia ▁diss ip ated ▁spawn ed ▁Trop ical ▁Storm ▁Deb ra , ▁which ▁loop ed ▁in ▁the ▁Moz amb ique ▁Channel . ▁Tow ard ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁month , ▁Trop ical ▁Storm ▁El ma ▁ex ited ▁the ▁bas in ▁into ▁the ▁adjacent ▁Australian ▁region , ▁only ▁to ▁re - enter ▁the ▁south - west ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁and ▁diss ip ate . ▁Long - l ived ▁Cy clone ▁F at ima ▁origin ated ▁in ▁the ▁Australian ▁bas in ▁in ▁late ▁March ▁and ▁changed ▁directions ▁before ▁becoming ▁extr at rop ical . ▁On ▁April   2 , ▁a ▁tropical ▁de pression ▁struck ▁eastern ▁Mad