Is the Isotopic Composition of Precipitation a Robust Indicator for Reconstructions of Past Tropical Cyclones Frequency? A Case Study on Réunion Island From Rain and Water Vapor Isotopic Observations

International audienceTropical cyclones (TCs) are among the natural hazards responsible for the highest human and economic losses. According to the WMO (World Meteorological Organization), 7 of the 10 costliest natural disasters in the past 50 years are TCs, including three cyclones in 2017: Harvey (which caused nearly $97 billion in damage), Maria (nearly $70 billion) and Irma (nearly $60 billion) (WMO, 2021). These three cyclones alone accounted for 35% of the total economic losses of the top 10 disasters around the world from 1970 to 2019. The cyclone Katrina in 2005 stands out as the costliest disaster with nearly $164 billion in losses. In terms of human losses, the 10 deadliest natural disasters between 1970 and 2019 include 3 TCs: in Bangladesh in 1970 (cyclone Bhola) and in 199