Greater than 160,000 individuals face energy outages as cyclone wreaks havoc on the Indian Ocean island, authorities report.
At the very least 4 individuals have been killed as Cyclone Garance struck the French abroad territory of La Reunion island, authorities stated.
The cyclone struck on Friday, making landfall within the north of the Indian Ocean island east of Madagascar, blowing away roofs and reducing energy and entry to consuming water for a lot of residents.
It exited the southwest of the island a number of hours later, French climate workplace Meteo-France stated, including that the worst of the storm had handed.
A pink alert, ordering the inhabitants to remain indoors, was lifted on Saturday morning after Garance was downgraded to a extreme tropical storm.
The physique of a person was discovered trapped beneath a tree within the capital, Saint-Denis, authorities stated on Saturday.
The opposite victims, two ladies and a person, had been carried away by flash floods, trapped in a mudslide or killed by {an electrical} hearth, authorities stated on Friday.
Round 160,000 individuals had been nonetheless with out electrical energy, whereas greater than 950 had been staying in short-term lodging centres on Saturday.
Greater than 310,000 residents had no entry to consuming water and practically 140,000 had been with out web entry.
Patrice Latron, the central authorities consultant on the island, stated “a variety of work” can be wanted, with many roads blocked by fallen timber.
“Roads are flooded, roads are minimize off and a few washed away,” he added.
Through the passage of the cyclone on Friday, Meteo-France recorded winds of as much as 230km (143 miles) per hour in Piton Sainte-Rose on the island’s japanese coast.
“The cyclone continues to be a risk for the island, I name on all to observe native authorities’ directions,” French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou stated on X on Friday. “Our ideas are with them and their family members who’ve been hit onerous.”
The close by vacationer island of Mauritius shut its major airport on Wednesday, whereas La Reunion shut down flights on Thursday. Its worldwide airport was to reopen late on Saturday.
‘First time I’ve been afraid’
Residents stated the pressure of the cyclone was scary.
“That is the primary time I’ve seen a cyclone this highly effective, and in addition the primary time I’ve been afraid,” Vincent Clain, 45, who lives in Sainte-Marie on the northern coast, advised the AFP information company.
He stated the storm uprooted timber in his backyard. “I assumed they might crash onto the home,” he stated.
Clain, his spouse, their son and canine hid of their kitchen, “the most secure space of the home”.
Aline Etheve, a resident of Sainte-Suzanne on the coast, stated she was fearful the roof of her home would collapse after the storm destroyed her backyard fence.
“I need to admit I’m a bit of scared,” she advised AFP, including that her energy and Wi-Fi entry had been gone.
