After Reunion, Mauritius is crossed by cyclone Belal. The alert level on the island of 1.3 million inhabitants was raised to 4, the maximum level on Tuesday. The government ordered all residents to stay at home but the Meteorological Service (MMS) said the storm was now moving east, away from the island nation. However, coastal flooding is feared on Tuesday.
Thousands of people were left without power and many cars submerged in water. The island was hit on Monday by torrential rains and winds recorded at more than 100 km/h.
Cars blocked, airport closed
In the capital Port-Louis, cars were stuck, with water up to their hoods, sometimes even swept away by the current. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport announced its closure “from 4:30 p.m. (local time) until further notice.”
Police said the body of a motorcyclist was found on a flooded highway, the victim of a road accident. Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, in a statement on national television on Monday, confirmed one death.
Coastal flooding predicted
Cyclone Belal is approximately 210 kilometers south-southeast of Mauritius and is moving southeast at a speed of approximately 18 kilometers per hour, according to the MMS. “There is therefore no longer a risk of cyclonic conditions in Mauritius but other environmental risks exist,” affirmed the MMS.
“Seas will be high with swells of 5 to 7 meters beyond the reefs,” the weather service warned Tuesday, saying it would cause “coastal flooding along low-lying coastal areas.” It is strictly recommended not to go out to sea and to avoid venturing along the beaches.”
The government announced Monday that a curfew would remain in effect until midday Tuesday, with only certain people, such as emergency workers, allowed to go out.