The Météo-France office in Réunion (MFR) – the official Regional Specialized Meteorological Center in the basin[1] – estimated the cyclone attained peak 10 minute sustained winds of 150 km/h (95 mph).

Before Haruna struck Madagascar, a pre-existing system produced deadly flooding, and when the cyclone crossed the country, it added additional rainfall to the region.

Many villages in southwestern Madagascar lost access to clean water, prompting various international agencies to deploy teams to decontaminate wells.

The cyclone damaged rice and maize crops along the coast, although there were extended residual effects when a locust outbreak occurred, affecting half of Madagascar's farmlands by July 2013.

[4] Subsequently, the system moved southward due to a weakness in the ridge, with conditions favorable for tropical cyclogenesis such as low wind shear and good divergence.

[11] The structure of Haruna continued to become more symmetrical with a large radius of maximum winds, developing a ragged eye early on February 20.

[14] While Haruna was approaching the southwestern coast of Madagascar, it developed a 120 km (75 mi) wide eye, and the eyewall passed over Europa Island.

Initially, MFR estimated that the storm would intensify to intense tropical cyclone status, and the agency assessed that Haruna reached 10 minute winds of 150 km/h (95 mph) on February 20.

[16] In contrast, MFR estimated at that time that the cyclone had peaked when the eyewall thunderstorms warmed,[17] followed by the eye becoming less organized and the winds decreasing.

[24] Early on February 24, Haruna re-intensified into a moderate tropical storm,[25] although soon after it weakened again due to cooler waters, increasing shear, and dry air.

[27] The next day, the JTWC also discontinued advisories on the storm, noting that Haruna was dissipating about 665 km (415 mi) south-southwest of Réunion.

[29] Officials prepared by collecting supplies in the capital Antananarivo beginning on February 20, and sending an emergency crew to the expected landfall location.

[36] Rains from the storm caused a dyke along the Fiherenana River to break, which flooded a large region and forced about 6,000 people to evacuate their homes.

[39] There were initial difficulties in distributing aid to areas of southwestern Madagascar due to prevailing unsettled weather,[38] along with fuel shortages.

[30] A few days after Haruna struck, the French Red Cross sent a ship to Toliara with 35 tons of supplies, including for housing and water.