A tropical cyclone called Belal is preparing to hit the coast of Reunion Island. Faced with the presumed seriousness of the event, the island went, this Monday, January 15, 2024, at 6 a.m. local time (3 a.m. in Paris), to purple alert, the highest level, synonymous with “danger imminent”. This state of alert implies “strict confinement of the entire population, including emergency and security services”, the prefecture announced on X.
Live on BFM-TV, the prefect of the department of 870,000 inhabitants, Jérôme Filippini, explained on Sunday that the purple alert would also mean “prohibiting rescue teams, [aux équipes] assistance, technical services […] to go out because there would be immediate danger to themselves.”
If at the moment the cyclone is less than 100 kilometers northwest of the island, it could strike in the coming hours. We also note that conditions on the island have deteriorated, with heavy and lasting rains which have already flooded some roads and swells which have deepened. “The winds are already blowing at more than 140 km/h but the gusts could reach, at the height of the event, 200 km/h on the coast and 250 km/h on the inhabited hills” the meteorologist clarified Cécile Jauffret.
If the airport is now closed, there are already 3,500 customers without electricity, 1,600 people without running water and 7,000 people without a landline telephone.
Cyclone Belal: Valérie Bègue shares her concern
Faced with all the alerts launched over the past few days, concern is now keenly felt. So much so that the former Miss France, Valérie Bègue spoke up. Originally from Reunion Island, the pretty brunette spoke on Instagram. “Tonight, I am afraid for my family, for my island, for the people of Reunion. The situation is terrifying. Good luck, stay careful, respect the instructions and take good care of yourself” she wrote.
We recall that the island of Reunion has not been hit by an intense cyclone for ten years and the passage of Bejisa, in the first days of 2014. “Belal is heading towards a cyclone that could mark the history of Reunion Island. Destructive and devastating winds that could cause great damage,” said Sébastien Langlade, head of forecasting at Météo-France La Réunion, on Sunday.
ES