Cyclone Garance kills three as it sweeps through Reunion island
The "brutal and violent" conditions were worse than Cyclone Belal, which killed four people on the island in January 2024, Prefect Patrice Latron said. Garance made landfall in the north of Reunion at 10:00 local time (06:00 GMT), before sweeping south and exiting the island by late afternoon, according to weather agency Meteo France.Local authorities reduced the alert level by midday to allow emergency services and police to leave their shelters.The top wind speed of 234km/h had not been recorded on the island since Cyclone Hollanda in February 1994.
Vincent Clain, 45, a resident of the island's northern coast, told news agency AFP: "This is the first time I've seen a cyclone this powerful, and also the first time I've been afraid."Some 100 troops and firefighters were on standby to be dispatched from the French territory of Mayotte nearly 1,500km (930 miles) away when conditions eased, as well as 100 from mainland France.Meanwhile, a 55-year-old man went missing in nearby Mauritius on Wednesday after going swimming in rough seas.France's Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said Friday that Garance was of a "rare intensity", while Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said armed forces stood ready to provide assistance.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Tourists issued travel warning amid soaring 40C temperatures
Temperatures could hit nearly 40C with people heading abroad issued a warning Travelers heading abroad this week are being advised to exercise caution. It comes after a fresh weather alert which reports that temperatures in parts of the country are expected to soar to nearly 40C. Over the past two weeks, french media, bfmtv, reports that "France has experienced average temperatures that are 'two degrees below normal.'" They note that while much of northern France will be cloudy, other regions are expected to enjoy sunny weather, though it is spiking so high that people do need to be careful. They warn that on "August 4, the country is divided in two with a northern part under clouds from Brittany to Alsace in the morning and the rest enjoying a cloudy sky. 25C will be recorded in Cherbourg, 30C in Paris and up to 34C in Gap, 35C in Toulouse and 36C in Alès and Bordeaux." The next day, on August 5, the mercury will remain high with 32C in Lyon, 29C in Nice and 36C in Perpignan - and even higher in other areas with it reaching 39C in Alès. Weather experts from Météo-France note: "The level of danger of forest fires remains high around the Mediterranean." This latest warning follows a forest fire in southern France, triggered by a sharp temperature spike at the start of July. The fire spread across an area equivalent to 2,000 rugby fields of trees and as a result, an autoroute to Spain was temporarily shut down with residents forced to evacuate their homes. "The fire, the latest of several in the area in recent days, started on the property of a winery south of the city of Narbonne on Monday afternoon, then spread rapidly due to wind and parched vegetation after a heatwave", reports France24. "More than 1,000 firefighters battled the flames overnight, but by the morning the inferno had partially damaged 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) of land and was still going strong, local authorities said", they added. Met Office amber and yellow weather warning as Storm Floris batters UK In the UK, people have also been placed under a weather alert. The Met Office has issued two warnings for today (August 4), with heavy rain and strong winds expected across parts of England and Scotland. Storm Floris is currently battering the UK with winds reaching up to 85mph in some areas. A yellow warning, covering large areas of the country, is in place until midnight, while an amber warning, specific to Scotland, will remain in force until 11pm. You can read all about the latest Met Office UK weather warning which covers 96 areas. This includes the latest amber alert which has since been extended.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Storm Floris to bring 90mph winds & danger to life risk to Scotland with 10-hour amber alert
It is the first named storm since January, when Storm Eowyn caused widespread destruction STORMING IN Storm Floris to bring 90mph winds & danger to life risk to Scotland with 10-hour amber alert STORM Floris has been upgraded to an 'amber' warning – meaning 90mph winds could cause injuries and create 'a danger to life' tomorrow. It's the second-highest warning possible, made more dangerous by the fact that trees are still in leaf and more liable to collapse. Advertisement 4 Gusts could reach highs of 80 to 90mph on some exposed coasts Credit: Alamy 4 The Met Office has warned that the winds could cause a 'danger to life' Credit: AFP 4 The storm could cause widespread destruction Credit: The Times 4 Storm Floris has been upgraded to an 'amber' warning Credit: GOOGLE MAPS Ferry company Cal Mac has warned that delays and cancellations are likely on west coast routes from Mallaig and Oban. It is the first named storm since January, when Storm Eowyn caused widespread destruction. Upgrading the incoming tempest from yellow 'be aware' to amber 'be prepared' the Met Office warned: 'Storm Floris will bring a spell of unusually strong west or northwesterly winds to much of Scotland during Monday. 'Gusts of 50 to 70 mph are expected for many parts, and are likely to reach 80 to 90 mph on some exposed coasts, hills and bridges. Advertisement 'Western coastal areas will see the highest gusts between late morning and early afternoon, the strongest winds then transferring to northeastern Scotland by late afternoon/early evening.' It's possible more traffic could be on the road today as it's the late summer Bank Holiday north of the border. Gusts of 50 to 70 mph are expected for many parts, and are likely to reach 80 to 90 mph on some exposed coasts, hills and bridges Met Office warning Storm Floris has been tracked all the way from the eastern seaboard of the United States, rapidly deepening as it approaches the west coast of Ireland tonight. The amber warning affects the central belt and everything north from 10am to 10pm tonight. Advertisement A separate yellow warning will be in force from 6am until midnight and extends into the rest of Scotland. Although named storms are more frequent in late autumn and winter, the Met Office say it is not uncommon for named storms to occur in summer. Storm Floris latest update as 'unseasonably windy' weather expected amid 'power outage' & 'wave overtopping' fears These events can be more dangerous, however, as trees are still in leaf and many people are still camping or hillwalking in the open. Experts previously said Scots should expect damage to buildings, including tiles blown from roofs. Advertisement They also warned there could be "danger to life" from flying debris. The storm might also cause power cuts across the country, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage. Injuries and danger to life could also occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties. Advertisement The storm is also predicted to force the closure of some roads and bridges. Heavy rain may also contribute to the disruption in places. Storm Floris is the sixth named storm of the 2024/2025 Storm Naming season and the first since Storm Eowyn caused major damage in late January.
.png%3Fwidth%3D1200%26auto%3Dwebp%26quality%3D75%26trim%3D0%2C0%2C0%2C0%26crop%3D&w=3840&q=100)
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Scotsman
Storm Floris: Unseasonably strong 85mph winds to batter Scotland as Met Office issues weather warning
The strongest winds driven by Storm Floris are set to hit Scotland from Monday. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Storm Floris has been named and is forecast to bring unseasonably strong winds to Scotland on Monday, the Met Office said. The strongest winds are most likely across much of Scotland during the afternoon and night, with gusts of up to 85mph possible along exposed coasts and hills. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A yellow weather warning has been issued for Storm Floris | Met Office A yellow weather warning for wind is in place in Scotland, Northern Ireland, north Wales and the north of England from 6am on Monday to 6am on Tuesday. Heavy rain is also expected, with transport disruption expected. The Met Office has said some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, could happen. There is also a risk of injuries and danger to life from flying debris. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Climate change is causing our weather to become increasingly dangerous (Picture: Andy Buchanan) | AFP via Getty Images Power cuts may occur, with the potential for other services, such as mobile phone coverage, to be affected.
