Cyclone Belal hits Reunion, Mauritius, leading to power outages, communication disruptions
Date
1/15/2024 8:14:58 AM
(MENAFN) A tropical cyclone unleashed its fury on the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean, causing widespread havoc with intense rains and powerful winds. As a result, approximately 25 percent of households were left without electricity, and tens of thousands faced water shortages, prompting local authorities to declare the highest alert level, or purple alert. Although the alert was later lifted as the worst of the storm passed, residents were advised to remain sheltered indoors, with continued expectations of heavy rains and winds reaching up to 170 kilometers per hour.
The impact of Cyclone Belal extended to nearby Mauritius, where authorities were on high alert, anticipating the cyclone's effects as it traversed the southwestern Indian Ocean. While the cyclone's intensity showed a slight decrease, the prefecture of Reunion reported waves as high as 8 meters (26 feet). Despite efforts to mitigate the storm's impact, many residents experienced disruptions in internet and phone services.
Tragically, a homeless person who had not sought shelter was found dead on the island's west coast in Saint-Gilles, although the circumstances surrounding the death remained unclear. Under the purple alert, residents were instructed to stay at home, and even emergency services were placed under lockdown. Meteorological reports from French weather forecaster Meteo France highlighted the cyclone's arrival in the early afternoon, bringing heavy rains, stormy conditions, and violent winds, posing significant challenges to the island's approximately 860,000 inhabitants.
Prefect Jérôme Filippini, the top government administrator on the island, had issued warnings of potential flood surges at levels not witnessed in a century. Forecasters expressed concerns that Cyclone Belal could go down in history as the most destructive storm to hit the island since the 1960s.
MENAFN15012024000045015682ID1107721867
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.