In brief
Cyclone Garance has tragically claimed three lives in Reunion, leaving over 180,000 homes without power and significant flooding reported across the island. Emergency services were on high alert as the cyclone produced dangerous gusts of wind and heavy rainfall.
Cyclone Garance has wreaked havoc across Reunion Island, resulting in the deaths of three individuals as the storm made landfall on Friday morning with winds reaching 234 km/h (145 mph). The cyclone caused extensive damage, with more than 180,000 homes left without electricity and 170,000 residents deprived of running water. In response to the cyclone’s intensity, local authorities enforced a maximum alert level, advising all residents, including emergency responders, to remain indoors.Heavy rains were anticipated to persist throughout Friday evening, prompting Prime Minister Francois Bayrou to issue warnings about the ongoing threat posed by the cyclone. Prefect Patrice Latron described the cyclone's destructive conditions as "brutal and violent," surpassing those experienced during Cyclone Belal in January 2024, which had resulted in four fatalities.Cyclone Garance made contact with the northern coast of Reunion at 10:00 local time (06:00 GMT) before tracking south and exiting by late afternoon, as reported by Meteo France. By midday, authorities downgraded the alert level, allowing emergency services and police to emerge from shelters.Residents across the island experienced unprecedented conditions, with Vincent Clain, a 45-year-old local, expressing his fears, stating, "This is the first time I've seen a cyclone this powerful, and also the first time I've been afraid." In preparation for after the storm, approximately 100 troops and firefighters from the French territory of Mayotte and 100 from mainland France stood ready for deployment once conditions improve.Furthermore, complications arose in nearby Mauritius, where a 55-year-old man was reported missing after swimming in turbulent waters just before the cyclone’s arrival. Officials, including France's Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, have confirmed their readiness to provide assistance as the situation unfolds.
