Cyclone Garance Wreaks Havoc in Reunion, Claims Three Lives

With maximum wind gusts of 234 km/h, Cyclone Garance struck the island of Reunion, resulting in three fatalities, power outages, and water shortages for thousands. Emergency services were forced to shelter as the storm wreaked havoc across the region.

Cyclone Garance has tragically claimed three lives as it battered Reunion, a French territory located in the Indian Ocean, with ferocious winds reaching 234 kilometers per hour (145 mph). The storm made landfall on Friday morning, unleashing chaos that left more than 180,000 homes without electricity and 170,000 residents without clean water.

In response to the cyclone, officials ordered the entire population, including emergency responders and police, to stay indoors, declaring the highest alert level. Prime Minister Francois Bayrou warned via social media that the storm still posed a threat, as torrential rains continued into Friday evening.

Prefect Patrice Latron described the conditions as "brutal and violent," suggesting they were more severe than those experienced during Cyclone Belal, which resulted in four fatalities in January 2024. Garance first struck the northern region of the island at 10:00 AM local time (06:00 GMT), traveling southward as it moved off the island by early evening, according to forecasts by Meteo France.

The intensity of the cyclone was unprecedented in recent decades, with wind speeds not witnessed since Cyclone Hollanda in February 1994. Vincent Clain, a 45-year-old resident from the northern coast, expressed his shock, stating, "This is the first time I've seen a cyclone this powerful, and also the first time I've been afraid."

Preparations for recovery are underway, with approximately 100 troops and firefighters on standby in the nearby French territory of Mayotte, about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) away, as well as 100 ready to deploy from mainland France. Meanwhile, in Mauritius, a search is on for a 55-year-old man who went missing while swimming in rough seas on Wednesday. France's Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau remarked on the rare intensity of Cyclone Garance, while Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed that the armed forces are prepared to assist with the aftermath of the storm.