Cyclone Garance Causes Fatalities and Destruction on Reunion Island

Cyclone Garance has struck France’s Reunion Island, killing at least four people and causing widespread flooding and electrical outages. With winds reaching 230 km/h, the storm has severely damaged infrastructure and displaced many families. Rescue efforts are underway, involving personnel from mainland France and Mayotte, as the island begins to assess and recover from the devastation.

Cyclone Garance, a devastating storm, has claimed at least four lives on France’s Reunion Island, according to authorities on Saturday. The cyclone hit early Friday, triggering severe flash floods, mudslides, and electrical storms, impacting hundreds of thousands of residents by cutting off water and electricity supplies.

The storm’s winds, reaching speeds of up to 230 kilometers per hour (143 miles per hour), uprooted thousands of trees, obstructing roads and causing severe damage across the island of approximately 900,000 residents. The victims comprised two women and two men, who perished due to flash floods, mudslides, and an electrical fire caused by the cyclone.

Over 180,000 people experienced power outages, and more than 170,000 residents were left without water. The international airport on Reunion Island is set to resume operations late Saturday after being closed for safety reasons. Meanwhile, Mauritius island also halted flights in anticipation of the storm.

Approximately 200 firefighters and civil aid workers will be dispatched from Mayotte and mainland France to assist with rescue efforts, with military troops on standby. Social media has shown numerous images of uprooted trees, displaced roofs, and inundated homes, depicting the extensive destruction caused by the cyclone.

Patrice Latron, the central government representative on Reunion Island, emphasized the need for significant recovery efforts, highlighting that many roads remain blocked by debris. He noted that Garance was more destructive than Cyclone Belal, which had resulted in four fatalities on the island in January 2024.

In summary, Cyclone Garance has wrought significant devastation on Reunion Island, resulting in at least four confirmed fatalities alongside widespread disruption of electricity and water services. The storm’s aggressive winds and associated natural disasters have prompted large-scale rescue and recovery efforts as authorities mobilize resources from neighboring areas and prepare for long-term rebuilding efforts.

Original Source: www.france24.com