It is now time to clear up and estimate the damage. While Cyclone Belal hit Mauritius on Tuesday, further east in the Indian Ocean, the authorities of Reunion Island decided to “lift the red alert from 12 p.m. today » (9 a.m. in Paris), declared the island’s prefect Jérôme Filippini to the press, calling on Reunion Islanders to remain cautious, particularly on the roads.
42% of residents without internet
“In terms of infrastructure, 42% of residents no longer have internet, 40% of relay antennas are out of service, 32% of homes have no electricity, 17% have complicated or impossible access to water, and 7% no longer receive TNT and radio,” listed the prefect.
The road network was also impacted by landslides, mudslides and the projection of trees uprooted by the winds. Clearing work has been underway since Monday and “almost all of the main roads will be reopened at noon (local time),” said Eric Boiteux, the operations director at the Réunion roads department.
A civil security team has already flown overnight from Monday to Tuesday for Reunion Island, where Roland-Garros airport will reopen to the public at 6:30 p.m. local time. And in a press release, the network manager Enedis announced the sending of 51 technicians to Reunion Island to reinforce the EDF teams.
The agricultural sector affected
More impacted by Cyclone Belal, which did not have the “cataclysmic” effect envisaged but still caused heavy damage and left one dead, the agricultural sector was the most affected, the president said. from the Reunion Chamber of Agriculture, Frédéric Vienne. “We hope that an order recognizing the state of natural disaster will be issued very quickly,” he declared.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin will fly to Reunion Island on Tuesday evening where he will spend Wednesday to accompany the victims and support the relief personnel, his entourage indicated.