Cyclone death toll rises to four on ravaged French island
French authorities said Saturday that at least four people died in Cyclone Garance's devastating crossing of the Indian Ocean island of La Reunion.
The body of a man was found trapped under one of thousands of trees ripped up by winds of up to 230 kilometres (143 miles) per hour that tore across the island of some 900,000 people on Friday, authorities said giving the new toll.
The other victims, two women and a man, were carried away by flash floods, trapped in a mudslide or killed by an electrical fire sparked by the storm, according to the prefecture.
More than 180,000 people were left without electricity and more than 170,000 without water, authorities said.
The island's international airport was to reopen late Saturday.
The nearby tourist island of Mauritius shut its main airport on Wednesday, while Reunion shut down to flights on Thursday.
About 200 firefighters and civil aid workers were to be sent from Mayotte -- a French territory nearly 1,500 kilometres away -- and mainland France, the government said. Troops have also been put on standby.
Residents posted pictures online of uprooted trees, torn-off roofs and flooded homes. Entire streets were inundated and cars washed away.
Patrice Latron, the central government representative on the island, said "a lot of work" would be needed with many roads blocked by fallen trees.
"Roads are flooded, roads are cut off and some washed away. Bridges have come down," he added.
Latron said Garance was fiercer than cyclone Belal that killed four people on Reunion in January 2024.
F.Amato--PV
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