Overall Green alert Tropical Cyclone for RUBY-21
in New Caledonia

Event summary

Tropical Cyclone RUBY-21 can have a low humanitarian impact based on the maximum sustained wind speed, exposed population and vulnerability.

GDACS ID TC 1000852
Name RUBY-21
From - To 11 Dec - 14 Dec
Exposed countries New Caledonia
Exposed population Few people in Category 1 or higher
Maximum wind speed 130 km/h Category 1
Maximum storm surge 0.6 m (13 Dec 20:00 UTC)
Vulnerability Medium (New Caledonia)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS alert score click here.
Wind Storm surge Rainfall GDACS score
GDACS JTWC 83 km/h 0.6 m n.a. 0.5
Single TC: maximum expected impact (wind, storm surge, rainfall)
HWRF n.a n.a. n.a. n.a.
GFS 119 km/h 1.2 m 969 mm 0.5
ECMWF 97 km/h 1.5 m 410 mm 0.5
Maximum expected impact (wind, storm surge and rainfall) using different data sources.
Virtual OSOCC
Meteo assessment
Satellite products
Analytical products
France, New Caledonia - Tropical Cyclone RUBY (ECHO 13 Dec 2021)Mon, 13 Dec 2021 13:25

  • The new tropical cyclone RUBY, formed over the Coral Sea, is moving south-eastwards, towards New Caledonia. On 13 December at 0.00 UTC, its centre was located about 480 km north-west of Belep Islands (North Province, New Caledonia), with maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h.
  • From the early morning (UTC) of 14 December, RUBY is forecast to move close to the eastern coast of Grande Terre, then it is expected to pass over the Loyalty Islands around the midday of 14 December, with maximum sustained winds between 140-150 km/h.
  • Local authorities have initiated preventive operations ahead of the arrival of RUBY, while flights and maritime transport across the islands in New Caledonia have been cancelled.
  • On 13-14 December, heavy to very heavy rain, strong winds and high waves is forecast over New Caledonia. 
France, New Caledonia - Tropical Cyclone RUBY, update (ECHO 14 Dec 2021)Tue, 14 Dec 2021 12:42

  • Tropical cyclone RUBY downgraded to a tropical storm, as it made landfall over northern Grande Terre (the largest island of New Caledonia), with maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h. On 14 December at 0.00 UTC, its centre was located on land, in central-eastern Grande Terre, about 35 km south of Poindimie City, with maximum sustained winds of 100 km/h. 
  • Strong winds and heavy rain is affecting Grande Terre. A number of people have been sheltered in reception centres, while various roads are impassable. Households across several Municipalities are experiencing power outages and shortages of water supply.
  • RUBY is forecast to weaken as it moves southwards over Grande Terre and will enter the Coral Sea on the morning of 14 December.
  • A level 2 hurricane alert is in effect for New Caledonia, as heavy rain and strong winds will affect most of the islands on 14 December. On 15-16 December, light to locally moderate rain is expected over southern New Caledonia.
France, New Caledonia - Tropical Cyclone RUBY (ECHO 13 Dec 2021)Mon, 13 Dec 2021 13:25

  • The new tropical cyclone RUBY, formed over the Coral Sea, is moving south-eastwards, towards New Caledonia. On 13 December at 0.00 UTC, its centre was located about 480 km north-west of Belep Islands (North Province, New Caledonia), with maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h.
  • From the early morning (UTC) of 14 December, RUBY is forecast to move close to the eastern coast of Grande Terre, then it is expected to pass over the Loyalty Islands around the midday of 14 December, with maximum sustained winds between 140-150 km/h.
  • Local authorities have initiated preventive operations ahead of the arrival of RUBY, while flights and maritime transport across the islands in New Caledonia have been cancelled.
  • On 13-14 December, heavy to very heavy rain, strong winds and high waves is forecast over New Caledonia. 
France, New Caledonia - Tropical Cyclone RUBY, update (ECHO 14 Dec 2021)Tue, 14 Dec 2021 12:42

  • Tropical cyclone RUBY downgraded to a tropical storm, as it made landfall over northern Grande Terre (the largest island of New Caledonia), with maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h. On 14 December at 0.00 UTC, its centre was located on land, in central-eastern Grande Terre, about 35 km south of Poindimie City, with maximum sustained winds of 100 km/h. 
  • Strong winds and heavy rain is affecting Grande Terre. A number of people have been sheltered in reception centres, while various roads are impassable. Households across several Municipalities are experiencing power outages and shortages of water supply.
  • RUBY is forecast to weaken as it moves southwards over Grande Terre and will enter the Coral Sea on the morning of 14 December.
  • A level 2 hurricane alert is in effect for New Caledonia, as heavy rain and strong winds will affect most of the islands on 14 December. On 15-16 December, light to locally moderate rain is expected over southern New Caledonia.
Spain - Volcanic activity, update (ECHO 14 Oct 2021)Thu, 14 Oct 2021 12:18

  • The vent located in the southeastern flank of Cumbre La Vieja volcano in La Palma has been reactivated while the northern lava flow is slowing down and the southern one is moving 50 metres per hour. The amount of total affected area by the lava flows reached 640,27 ha.
  • According to the Department of National Security (DSN), 800 people have been evacuated following the advance of the northern lava flow on 12 October. In addition, PEVOLCA issued other evacuation orders for some villages located in Los Llanos de Aridane Municipality.
  • National authorities are assisting those people who lost their houses and are providing desalination plants installed to supply irrigation water.
  • The Copernicus Emergency Mapping Service () was activated on 19 September to support the damage assessment and 42 maps have been produced so far.
Volcano La Palma - Copernicus EMS activation (EMSR546)Sun, 19 Sep 2021 20:01

EMSR546: Copernicus Emergency Management Service has been activated
Detailed event map. European Union, 2024. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

Updates on volcanic activity (Smithsonian)

Latest media headlines

Articles: 225 | About casualties: 6 | Last hour: 0

Meteo Cronaca Diretta: NUOVA CALEDONIA, il Ciclone Ruby Flagella l'Arc ... 2021-12-15T16:44+0100.

Meteo Cronaca Diretta: NUOVA CALEDONIA, il Ciclone Ruby Flagella l'Arcipelago. Il VIDEO. L'intenso ciclone Ruby ha provocato danni nell'arcipelago della Nuova Caledonia : tra le conseguenze del maltempo e delle piogge torrenziali ( sono ca
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La Calédonie au lendemain de la dépression Ruby2021-12-15T11:12+0100.

La dépression Ruby était loin de la Nouvelle-Calédonie ce matin au réveil. L’heure était au nettoyage et à l’évaluation des dégâts. Des dégâts qui varient selon les communes. Tour d’horizon. Le Grand Nord en première ligne. L'extrême Nord d
...(more)
La Calédonie au lendemain de la dépression Ruby2021-12-15T10:28+0100.

La dépression Ruby était loin de la Nouvelle-Calédonie ce matin au réveil. L’heure était au nettoyage et à l’évaluation des dégâts. Des dégâts qui varient selon les communes. Tour d’horizon. Le Grand Nord en première ligne. L'extrême Nord d
...(more)
La dépression tropicale Ruby a secoué la Nouvelle-Calédonie, l’alerte ... 2021-12-14T23:52+0100.

s’est enroulée au-dessus de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, du Nord au Sud, avant de s’éloigner vers l’île des Pins dans la nuit de mardi 14 à mercredi 15 décembre 2021. Sans jamais atteindre le stade cyclone de catégorie 3, fort heureusement. Ruby,
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Estimated casualties (PAGER)

USGS estimates the number of casualties for each earthquake for the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) product.
The graph shows the current fatalities estimate.

Exposed population

Data, images, links, services and documents

For this events, GDACS has links to information from the following sources: EC-JRC (40), (2), WMO (1), INFORM (2),