While browsing the Meteo Mauritius website, we found a list of big cyclones which have affected Mauritius since 1892.
As I was born in 1973 and Christina in 1975, some of those cyclones evoked very distant memories: Gervaise and Claudette. Some, on the other hand, left a big impression on us when we were growing up during the 80’s and 90’s.
I remember how strong the winds of Bakoly were. We had just moved to Quatre-Bornes and some of the small trees in my yard were bending over. I was 10 at that time and I was very afraid. Christina was living in an old wooden house with a corrugated iron roof and it was very scary too. The living room (varangue) had a lot of glass window panes and she thought that they could be shattered by the winds at any time. There were also huge trees in the yard and the atmosphere was very eerie.
Firinga and Hollanda also made a big impression on our young minds.
At that time, whenever there was a big cyclone, we knew that we wouldn’t have electricity for some days but we didn’t really care. We were less dependent on technology at that time: no 24h TV channels, no computers, no smartphones and no Internet. As a matter of fact, this forced us to stay together and play various games (rummy, gare aux coeurs, whist, etc.) Some indulged in Scrabble and Monopoly and it was nice (I suppose for kids — parents had more worries than us!)
During the 2000’s, we had Dina which also caused quite a lot of damage with winds of 228 km/h.
Since then, we have had weaker cyclones. Anya (born in 2002) and Kyan (in 2004) have never witnessed the kinds of cyclones we saw during our childhood. And, to be rational, this is a good thing…
I was born in 1974 and have also witnessed these cyclones in the same way just to add that to me Hollanda has been the strongest cyclone I ever witnessed as I remember all electric poles were pulled down and and there were no electricity in the whole country for a minimum of 2 weeks – in some places it took months to get back to normal !
lucky those who were not born earlier. i remember the ballet of helicopters flying from their war ship over the island after gervaise.Chinook birotors helicopters carrying heavy water pipes down the grand river george to reestablish water supply . thanks to all nations who helped us.
further back in the 60`s i remember schooling under a tree .the classes were occupied by refugees.the la lampe petrole.and the tin shackes(longers)
we should pay tribute to A. jugnath and commander Dayal who equipped the emergency task force with load all . tractors . cranes.armoured ambulances