Cyclone Garance struck Réunion Island, resulting in four fatalities and widespread utility disruptions. With over 180,000 residents lacking electricity and many displaced, intensive recovery efforts involving government aid are underway. Concurrently, multiple tropical storms were active in the Southern Hemisphere, marking a notable weather phenomenon.
Cyclone Garance has severely impacted Réunion Island, leading to the deaths of at least four individuals and affecting hundreds of thousands. The cyclone made landfall on February 28, 2023, on the island’s northern coast, causing substantial flooding and wind speeds exceeding 200 km/h (124 mph). This storm is noted as the most powerful to hit the island since Tropical Cyclone Firinga in January 1989.
The cyclone resulted in widespread destruction, leaving over 180,000 residents without electricity and 310,000 without water supply. Many people were forced into temporary shelters as nearly 1,000 sought refuge. Vincent Clain, a local resident, expressed his fear about the cyclone’s intensity, marking it as the first time he experienced such fear from a cyclone.
In response to the disaster, the French government dispatched 200 firefighters and aid workers from mainland France and Mayotte to assist in recovery efforts. Makeshift tarpaulins were also provided to the eastern region for shelter. The central government representative, Patrice Latron, acknowledged that considerable efforts are required to clear blocked roads caused by fallen trees, emphasizing the ongoing challenges during recovery.
Simultaneously, several tropical cyclones were active in the Southern Hemisphere. While Cyclone Garance was impacting Réunion, Severe Tropical Storm Honde formed in the Mozambique Channel, and Severe Tropical Cyclone Alfred developed northeast of Australia. Lauren Herdman from MetDesk noted that while concurrent named storms are infrequent, it is not unusual in the Southern Hemisphere, though simultaneous events in a single ocean basin are rare.
Cyclone Garance has resulted in significant devastation in Réunion Island, including fatalities and widespread disruption of utilities. Emergency aid has been mobilized to assist affected communities, signifying the scale of the damage and the need for swift recovery measures. The event also highlights the prevalence of intense tropical storms in the region, raising concerns for future weather-related threats.
Original Source: news.mongabay.com
