Reunion prepares for the arrival of an intense tropical cyclone and goes into orange cyclone alert

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This alert is the second level of the cyclone alert system, which has four. The prefect on Saturday urged residents to “stock up on water and food”.

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Cyclone Freddy passes over the village of Sainte-Anne, in Reunion, on February 20, 2023. (RICHARD BOUHET / AFP)

Reunion is under the threat of an intense tropical cyclone and went into orange cyclone alert on Saturday January 13 at 7 p.m. (4 p.m. in Paris), announced the prefect of this French island in the Indian Ocean, Jérôme Filippini. This alert is the second level of the cyclone alert system, which has four. It means that“a cyclonic event (…) is evolving in the area and represents a danger for Reunion Island within 24 hours”, according to Météo-France.

“We must take seriously, even very seriously, what is happening.”

Jérôme Filippini, prefect of Réunion

at a press conference

“You need to stock up on water and food, prepare to be self-sufficient for a few hours or a few days, have your first aid kit. You need to take action now [la question de savoir] where you will be safe from Sunday evening”, underlined the prefect. Named “Belal”, the storm is currently intensifying, added Céline Jauffret, interregional director of Météo-France.

Possible gusts of over 200 km/h

The cyclone is expected to pass as close as possible to Reunion Island during the night from Sunday to Monday and during the day from Monday. According to current forecasts, its eye could approach approximately 100 km from land, between Reunion and Mauritius. It would then be “at cyclone stage, or even intense cyclone as close as possible to Reunion Island. Significant impacts are expected due to winds, rain and swell”detailed Céline Jauffret.

Météo-France predicts gusts of more than 150 km/h on the heights of the island. “A direct impact [sur La Réunion] is not excluded, which would imply winds exceeding 220 km/h in the low areas and reaching 250 km/h in the high areas., warned Céline Jauffret. Swells exceeding six meters and heavy rainfall are also expected. Reunion has not been hit by an intense cyclone since 2014.


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