Cyclone Garance threatens Mauritius, Reunion Island

Residents of the Indian Ocean islands Mauritius and La Reunion rushed to stockpile essential items on Thursday, as Cyclone Garance approached the two territories.

The storm, which is expected to pass 50 kilometers from La Reunion’s shores, prompted authorities to impose a “red alert”, closing airports and schools, and urging all inhabitants to stay inside, except law enforcement and emergency services.

At least two people were killed as Cyclone Garance slammed the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, blowing away roofs and cutting power and access to drinking water for many residents. Garance landed on the island’s north with winds of up to 230km per hour and barrelled south before heading back out to sea.

Winds of up to 230 kilometres per hour

Winds of up to 230 kilometres per hour battered the territory of 900,000 people and the storm earlier forced the closure of the main airport on nearby Mauritius.

One woman in her 50s was probably sucked into a sewer pipe and swept away in torrential water, the local prefect said, describing the storm as “brutal and violent”.

A man was killed in an electrical fire and another person was missing, the prefecture said.

Some 180,000 households were without power and 80,000 without water; while 114,000 people had lost mobile phone coverage, authorities said

Residents posted pictures online of uprooted trees, torn-away roofs and flooded homes. Entire streets were inundated and cars washed away.

“I watched my car being overturned by the torrent, and there was nothing I could do,” said Adrien, a resident of Saint-Andre on the northeastern coast, who declined to give his last name.