Cyclone Garance Claims Lives and Disrupts Reunion Island

Cyclone Garance has killed three people on Reunion Island, leaving over 180,000 homes without power and 170,000 without running water. The cyclone, with gusts up to 234 km/h, prompted the government to issue a maximum alert, advising residents to remain indoors. Emergency services are mobilizing as conditions begin to improve, while search efforts continue for a missing swimmer in Mauritius. The intensity of the cyclone has led officials to recognize its severity compared to previous storms.

Cyclone Garance has tragically claimed the lives of three individuals on Reunion Island as it swept through the French Indian Ocean territory with peak gusts reaching 234 kilometers per hour (145 miles per hour). The powerful tropical cyclone struck early Friday, resulting in widespread destruction, leaving over 180,000 homes without electricity and 170,000 lacking access to clean water, prompting local authorities to issue a maximum alert and advise the population, including emergency services, to remain indoors.

Heavy rainfall and tumultuous conditions are anticipated to persist through the evening, as Prime Minister Francois Bayrou reiterated the ongoing threat posed by the cyclone via social media platform X. According to Prefect Patrice Latron, the conditions resulting from Cyclone Garance are notably more severe than those experienced during Cyclone Belal earlier this year, which resulted in four fatalities on the island.

The cyclone made landfall on the northern coast of Reunion at 10:00 local time (06:00 GMT) before moving southward and exiting the territory by late afternoon. By midday, local authorities cautiously lowered the alert level to allow emergency responders to commence their operations. The maximum wind speeds recorded during Cyclone Garance marked the highest since Cyclone Hollanda in February 1994, highlighting the unusual severity of this weather event.

Vincent Clain, a 45-year-old resident from the northern coast of Reunion, expressed his concerns to AFP, stating, “This is the first time I have seen a cyclone this powerful, and also the first time I have been afraid.” Additionally, approximately 200 troops and firefighters remain on standby from both Mayotte, a nearby French territory, and mainland France, ready to assist after conditions improve.

Meanwhile, in Mauritius, search efforts are underway for a missing 55-year-old man who disappeared while swimming in turbulent seas on Wednesday. France’s Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, remarked on the cyclone’s unprecedented intensity, further underscoring the urgency of the situation as Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed the preparedness of armed forces to provide assistance to affected regions.

In summary, Cyclone Garance has inflicted severe damage on Reunion Island, resulting in three fatalities, substantial property damage, and widespread disruption of essential services. Local authorities declared a maximum alert in response to the cyclone’s unprecedented strength, urging residents to remain indoors. As recovery efforts commence, the preparedness of military resources from France emphasizes the significance of the incident and the need for continued vigilance against extreme weather events.

Original Source: www.bbc.com