Cyclone Bebe

Funafuti International Airport in November 1972, showing damage from Cyclone Bebe.

Modern-day Tuvalu (at the time a British colony known as the Ellice Islands) was the first island nation to be impacted by Bebe, between October 19 and 22.[2][9] The system started to impact Tuvalu during October 19, with intermittent heavy rain reported in the island nation, before the weather deteriorated further during the next day, with strong winds increasing to gale force, flooding and a rough sea reported.[2][9] During October 20, as the seas were rough, the ship Moana Raoi (which had just arrived in Funafuti's lagoon, carrying supplies from Suva, Fiji) was anchored peacefully.[9] During the next day, as the Funafuti International Airport airstrip was flooded, the fortnightly Air Pacific aircraft that was carrying supplies from Nadi, Fiji, turned back while it was located about 80 km (50 mi) from the airstrip.[2][9] After a hurricane warning was received at the New Zealand Meteorological Service weather station, its chief tried to warn as many people as possible, including the Master of the Moana Raoi, the fishery officer of the Van Camp fishing fleet and the agent of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands development authority.[2][9]

There was subsequently little to no significant damage recorded on the majority of the islands; however, the low-lying island of Funafuti was significantly impacted after the system passed over the coral atoll during October 21.[2][9][10] Hurricane-force winds were observed on the island for several hours, while a storm surge swept over the island and killed three people.[2][9]

Bebe impacted the whole of the newly independent island nation of Fiji between October 22–25, where it became the worst tropical cyclone to impact the islands since 1952.[2][11][12] Ahead of the system threatening the Fijian Islands, the Nadi weather office issued hurricane warnings, for most of the island nation including Rotuma.[11][13] As a result, hurricane shutters were put up on various buildings, schools were closed, local air service and cruise ships were cancelled while other smaller ships took shelter.[11] The Nadi and Nausori international airports were also closed.[14] On October 22, the Fijian Parliament was adjourned in order to prepare for the hurricane.[15]

During October 23, the system passed over the Fijian Dependency of Rotuma, with hurricane-force wind speeds of around 275 km/h (170 mph) had been recorded on the island.[11][16] As a result, widespread damage was reported on the island, with various houses and other buildings either destroyed or extensively damaged.[2][11] The island also lost the majority of its crops, with coconut palms, copra and citrus trees damaged or destroyed.[16] As a result, it was estimated that between 60%-90% of the population would be dependent on relief supplies for the next three to six months.[16]