Cyclone Garance has struck Reunion Island, resulting in 3 deaths and extensive property damage, leaving 180,000 homes without power and 170,000 without water. The storm has generated winds of up to 234 km/h and prompted maximum alert levels due to continued rainfall and instability. Emergency services are mobilizing while local and national authorities acknowledge the cyclone’s intense nature.
Cyclone Garance has tragically claimed three lives in Reunion Island as it struck with maximum wind gusts reaching 234 km/h (145 mph). The tropical storm knocked out power to over 180,000 homes and left 170,000 without running water following landfall on Friday morning.
In response to the cyclone’s severity, the island’s entire population—including emergency services—was ordered to remain indoors as a precautionary maximum alert was issued. Heavy rainfall is forecast to persist into the evening, maintaining the hazard level. Prime Minister Francois Bayrou warned via X that the cyclone continues to pose a significant threat.
Prefect Patrice Latron described the conditions as “brutal and violent,” indicating they were more severe than those experienced during Cyclone Belal, which resulted in four deaths in January 2024. Garance made landfall in the northern region of Reunion at 10:00 AM local time (06:00 GMT) and moved southward, exiting the island later in the afternoon.
Local authorities began to lower the alert level by midday to facilitate emergency services transitioning from their shelters. Meteorological sources confirmed that wind speeds of 234 km/h have not been recorded since Cyclone Hollanda in February 1994. A resident on the island’s northern coast, Vincent Clain, expressed his fear, stating it was his first experience with such a powerful cyclone.
Once conditions stabilize, approximately 100 troops and firefighters from Mayotte, situated 1,500 km away, and another 100 from mainland France are prepared for deployment. Concurrently, a 55-year-old man has gone missing in Mauritius after swimming in turbulent seas before the cyclone’s onset.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau remarked that Cyclone Garance is of “rare intensity,” with Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu indicating that armed forces are ready to assist if needed.
Cyclone Garance has caused significant destruction in Reunion Island, resulting in three fatalities and widespread infrastructure damage, leaving hundreds of thousands without power and water. As authorities respond to the disaster, the unpredictability and intensity of the cyclone emphasize the ongoing threat posed by severe weather in the region. Emergency services remain on standby for further assistance in the aftermath.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
