HIGH ALERT FOR DANGEROUS CYCLONE

Published: 8:36 PM, Feb 27, 2025

A child walks on a beach facing the swell as the tropical system "Garance" approaches in Saint-Denis de la Reunion, on the French overseas territory island of La Reunion on February 26, 2025. The island of Reunion will be placed under a red cyclone alert from 7.00 pm on February 27, 2025, when cyclone Garance, described as "dangerous" by Meteo France, is due to arrive, the prefecture has announced. If it maintains its current trajectory, the cyclone should pass "less than 50 km" inland, "during the evening of February 27 to 28", or even early February 28 morning, at least at the stage of a tropical cyclone", said the prefecture in a statement published early February 27 morning. (Photo by Richard BOUHET / AFP)

The Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and La Reunion were on high alert on Thursday for an intense tropical storm, Cyclone Garance, which was labelled a 'direct threat' to the tourist destinations. Mauritius shut its main airport on Wednesday, while the nearby French island of La Reunion was set to do the same. Garance was labelled a class 3 cyclone by Mauritius -- the second-highest alert level -- with gusts of up to 70 kilometres an hour expected. The Mauritius Meteorological Service said the cyclone was 310 km northwest of the island and had become an "intense tropical storm". The cyclone is "dangerously approaching Mauritius and constitutes a direct threat," it said, adding that flooding was expected. - AFP

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