Cyclone Garance Devastates Réunion Island, Leaving Thousands Affected

Cyclone Garance has severely impacted Réunion Island, resulting in at least four deaths, widespread flooding, and the loss of basic services for hundreds of thousands. The French government has responded with aid workers and resources to help affected residents. Concurrently, multiple tropical cyclones are active in the Southern Hemisphere, emphasizing environmental concerns.

Cyclone Garance struck Réunion Island, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, late last week, leading to the tragic loss of at least four lives and impacting hundreds of thousands of residents. The cyclone, which made landfall on February 28, brought severe winds exceeding 200 kilometers per hour (124 miles per hour) and was characterized as the most powerful storm to hit the island since January 1989’s Tropical Cyclone Firinga.

As a result of the storm, over 180,000 residents were left without electricity, and approximately 310,000 were deprived of water supply. The fallout from Garance necessitated temporary shelter for nearly 1,000 individuals. Local resident Vincent Clain expressed his fears, stating, “This is the first time I’ve seen a cyclone this powerful, and also the first time I’ve been afraid.”

The French government has dispatched 200 firefighters and aid workers from mainland France and Mayotte, another territory in the Indian Ocean, to assist in recovery efforts. Furthermore, tarpaulins were sent to the areas most severely affected in the eastern part of the island, providing makeshift shelter. Patrice Latron, Réunion’s central government representative, acknowledged the extensive work needed to clear roads obstructed by fallen trees.

The cyclone prompted the temporary shutdown of airports in both Réunion and Mauritius. Notably, Cyclone Garance was one of six active tropical cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere during the same week, with other storms occurring near Madagascar and Australia. According to Lauren Herdman of MetDesk, such occurrences of multiple named storms simultaneously within a single ocean basin, while infrequent, are not entirely unusual.

In summary, Cyclone Garance has caused significant devastation on Réunion Island, with several fatalities, extensive infrastructure damage, and major disruptions to essential services like water and electricity. The event has prompted a swift governmental response, dispatching aid workers to assist impacted residents. With concurrent cyclones forming in the Southern Hemisphere, this situation highlights the growing impacts of climate variability and the need for disaster preparedness.

Original Source: news.mongabay.com