Cyclone Garance Causes Devastation on Réunion Island

Cyclone Garance has devastated Réunion Island, resulting in at least four deaths and widespread loss of power and water supply. The cyclone made landfall on February 28, causing significant flooding and damage. Government response includes sending aid workers and temporary shelters, while regional airports were closed due to the storm’s intensity.

Cyclone Garance has caused widespread devastation on Réunion Island, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, resulting in at least four fatalities and leaving hundreds of thousands without essential services. The cyclone, characterized as the most potent in decades, made landfall on February 28, unleashing wind speeds exceeding 200 kilometers per hour and causing significant flooding and mudslides.

The storm left approximately 180,000 residents without electricity and 310,000 without water. Nearly 1,000 individuals have sought refuge in temporary shelters. Vincent Clain, a local resident, expressed his concern about the cyclone’s intensity, stating that it is the first time he experienced such a powerful storm, leaving him fearful for his home’s safety.

In response to the disaster, the French government dispatched 200 firefighters and aid workers to assist in recovery efforts. Makeshift shelters in the form of tarpaulins have been provided for those in the hardest-hit areas. Efforts are currently underway to clear roads blocked by fallen trees, as stated by Patrice Latron, Réunion’s central government representative.

Compounding the situation, both Réunion and neighboring Mauritius were forced to close their airports due to the storm. Cyclone Garance was one of six tropical cyclones concurrently active in the Southern Hemisphere, indicating a rare phenomenon of multiple named storms developing within a single ocean basin. Lauren Herdman from MetDesk noted that while such occurrences do happen, they are infrequent and noteworthy.

In summary, Cyclone Garance has wreaked havoc across Réunion Island, causing loss of life, significant infrastructural damage, and disruption of essential services for many residents. The response efforts include government assistance and temporary shelters for those displaced. Furthermore, the concurrent presence of multiple tropical storms in the Southern Hemisphere highlights the unusual weather patterns affecting the region.

Original Source: news.mongabay.com