Ialy Cyclone no longer a threat, fully dissipates

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Ialy Cyclone in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday weakened to moderate tropical storm from severe tropical storm and is expected to completely lose its strength today.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with the “Daily News” on Tuesday, the Tanzania Meteorological Authority’s (TMA) Acting Director General, Dr Ladislaus Chang’a noted that the cyclone life cycle was about to end. Dr Chang’a who doubles as the vice chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) attributed the collapse of the cyclone to wind direction in the Indian Ocean which were advancing Northward from South.

“The severe tropical storm has weakened to moderate tropical storm, as it continues to move Northward, away from the coast of our country and is expected to continue weakening and dissipate” he said.

He said the situation would have been worse if the cyclone could have moved Westward from Eastern part of the Indian Ocean. Overall, Dr Chang’a noted that the Ialy Cyclone is weak in comparison to the Hidaya Cyclone which occurred earlier this month and was progressing Westward from East.

More notably, he reminded that every cyclone has a specific name and its life cycle which occur once without repeating in the future. Explaining on why the Indian Ocean, specifically the Eastern Coast experience repeatedly cyclone cases, Dr Chang’a said the persisting cyclone incidents are due to an increase in global temperature due to climate change.

ALSO READ: CYCLONE: After ‘Hidaya’, here comes ‘IALY’

“The more the average global temperature increases, the more the cyclones occur due to change in weather systems. The cyclones such as the Ialy rely on the amount of moisture generated from the earth temperature,” he noted.

Adding “The ocean temperature increase is direct proportional to occurrence of cyclones. As the ocean become warmer, the more the likelihood of the cyclones to happen evolving toward the country’s eastern coast,” He said the weather and climate change effects include floods, heat waves, storms and the cyclones.

In that regard, he said citizens should expect recurring of cyclones due to the on-going upward trend of the global temperature. He urged citizens to keep in touch with the TMA’s updates showing weather and climate trends in the country and the precautionary measures to take.

Similarly, Dr Chang’a underscored the significance of all residents to adhere to directives from the government intending to containing the weather and climate change effects.

In a statement which was released on Monday, the TMA indicated that Ialy was located approximately 500 kilometres East of the coast of Dar es Salaam. The meteorological body observed that Ugunja, Pemba and Mtwara weather stations experienced periods of strong wind reaching 50 kilometres per hour during the day.

According to TMA, periods of strong winds exceeding 40 kilometers per hour and large waves exceeding 2 meters were expected along the coastal areas of Tanzania and in the Indian Ocean between Monday and Wednesday this week.

ALSO READ: Cyclone Hidaya hits, weakens

Also, TMA said rainfall periods are likely to occur along the entire coastal areas encompassing Tanga, Coast Region, Dar es Salaam, Lindi and Mtwara regions together with Unguja and Pemba Islands particularly between yesterday and today.

TMA urged the public and mariners in general to take appropriate precautions and continue to monitor and consider its forecast information while receiving advice and guidance from experts in the relevant sectors.