Waterspouts, swirling winds and strong swells, this is the menu that awaits Reunion Island for the next few hours. Due to the passage of cyclone Batsirai, described as “intense” and which is currently 285 km north of the Reunion coast, on the night of Wednesday to Thursday, the island will go into cyclonic red alert from 7 p.m., indicates Prefecture.
“The low pressure system should pass closest to Reunion on Thursday February 3, 2022 around 4 a.m., at a distance of between 120 and 200 km north of Reunion. A deterioration in weather conditions (wind, rain, swell) will occur this evening and will continue throughout the day on Thursday, even after the passage of the cyclone, ”explains the prefecture.
Mineral water shelves replenished several times
To protect themselves, the Reunionese population must “take shelter by 7 p.m.”, and “not go out under any circumstances from 7 p.m.”. Traffic is prohibited, except for emergency services and services contributing to crisis management, specifies the Orsec Cyclones plan. Meteorological bulletins and official instructions will be transmitted by local radio and television stations as well as the various information websites.
A sign that residents are taking the threat very seriously, supermarkets have been experiencing increased crowds since Monday compared to those usually noted at the start of the month. Restocked several times a day, the mineral water and preserves departments are particularly visited. The last passage of a cyclone near Reunion dates back to March 2018. Named Dumasile, the phenomenon had caused impressive floods and floods.