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Victor Dasgupta
Victor Dasgupta is an Assistant News Editor at India.com, where he tracks major developments across national politics, education, world affairs, business, and current events. He specializes in simplif ... Read More
New Delhi: Cyclone Gamane has made landfall in Mauritius and La Réunion, prompting lockdown-like alerts in Mauritius. The storm has now reached Saint-Denis, just 227 kilometers from Mauritius. The authorities have declared a high alert, asking people to stay indoors. According to the reports, the cyclone is moving forward at a speed of 195 kilometers per hour. It is important to note that 48 percent of Mauritius’s population is Hindu, as per the 2011 International Religious Freedom report.
The country is on high alert, and everyone is being urged to stay indoors for their safety, just as the world was advised to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, with permission to step out is only for those who need essential goods.
The impact of the cyclone will start impacting Mauritius as early as Wednesday. Owning to the cyclone, the authorities have decided to shut down its airport and declared school holidays on Wednesday as a precautionary measure. A red alert has been issued for Thursday as the cyclone moved closer, creating lockdown-like conditions.
The Mauritius Meteorological Department predicted that the cyclone would reach the country by Friday morning. At 4 AM on Friday, the storm was 245 kilometers away from Mauritius. By 9 AM, it had moved 227 kilometers closer.
Classified as the Category 3 cyclone, Cyclone Gamane is considered to be a highly dangerous storm. It is important to note that a Category 3 cyclone is a ‘Severe Tropical Cyclone’, with wind speeds ranging from 165 to 224 km/h. Such storms can cause significant damage to buildings, uproot trees, and lead to power outages in affected areas.
On Thursday, the Mauritius Meteorological Service reported that the cyclone was 310 kilometers (190 miles) northwest of the island and had intensified into a “severe storm.”
According to the Mauritius Meteorological Service, the cyclone is moving dangerously toward Mauritius and poses a direct threat to the country. The weather department further added that there is a risk of flooding; as a result, a red alert has been declared.
Officials announced that the red alert came into effect on Thursday at 7 PM. The cyclone is expected to approach the island by Friday morning. Both Mauritius and La Réunion Island are now under red alert, with authorities urging everyone to stay indoors and only step out in case of an emergency. Considering the situation, schools were shut down as early as Wednesday afternoon.
Due to the cyclone, a scene reminiscent of the COVID-19 era was witnessed in the islands. Thousands of people were standing outside stores to buy household essentials, with long queues visible. One person said, “I thought I had plenty of time to shop, but I was wrong.” He also added, “It took me only 10 seconds to buy water from the store, but I have been standing in line for the past 10 minutes just to make the payment.”
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