Cyclone Garance Ravages Reunion Island: A Nation Grapples with Devastation

Reunion Island is reeling from the destructive passage of Cyclone Garance, a powerful storm that has left a trail of destruction and loss in its wake. While the red alert was lifted on Saturday, March 1st, at 10:00 AM local time (7:00 AM in Paris), the aftermath of the cyclone continues to pose significant challenges for the island’s residents.

The latest reports from the prefecture confirm that Cyclone Garance has claimed the lives of at least four people and injured five others. These tragic losses underscore the cyclone’s ferocity and the inherent dangers posed by such extreme weather events. The island has now entered a cyclonic safeguard phase, a transition period where the immediate threat of the cyclone has receded, but persistent dangers remain. Authorities are urging the population to exercise extreme caution and limit their movements to essential needs only.

Prefect Patrice Latron emphasized the continued risks, citing impassable road networks, uprooted trees, downed power lines, submerged fords, and landslides as significant hazards. The devastation is widespread, impacting infrastructure and essential services across the island.

One man was discovered deceased, trapped beneath a fallen tree in Saint-Denis. Earlier reports indicated that a woman was swept away by floodwaters in Saint-Denis, while another man perished in an electrical fire, also in the island’s capital. The fourth fatality occurred in Trois-Bassins, in the western part of the island, where a woman was buried by a mudslide. These individual tragedies paint a grim picture of the cyclone’s far-reaching impact on the lives of ordinary citizens.

The Roland-Garros airport, located east of Saint-Denis, has announced its intention to reopen on Saturday at 6:30 PM local time (3:30 PM in Paris), but only after thorough safety checks have been completed. The first scheduled flight is slated for 9:00 PM, marking a tentative step towards restoring normalcy to air travel.

As of Saturday evening, approximately 970 individuals remained in emergency shelters, highlighting the displacement caused by the cyclone. A staggering 120,000 people are still without electricity, further compounding the challenges faced by residents. The lack of power affects not only basic necessities but also communication and access to information.

The situation is further exacerbated by widespread water shortages, with over 310,000 residents lacking access to potable water. The disruption to essential services underscores the vulnerability of the island’s infrastructure to extreme weather events.

Communication networks have also been severely impacted. According to the prefecture, nearly 32% of subscribers are without internet and landline phone access. Mobile phone connectivity is similarly affected, with 35% of subscribers unable to use their devices. These figures represent a slight improvement from the peak of the storm when 43% and 47% of internet/landline and mobile subscribers, respectively, were disconnected.

Prefect Latron acknowledged the extensive recovery efforts required. He emphasized that numerous roads are blocked by debris, including fallen branches and trees. Flooding, road damage, and bridge collapses are widespread, hindering transportation and access to affected areas.

The severity of Cyclone Garance is seen as greater than that of Cyclone Belal, which struck Reunion Island on January 15th, 2024. Cyclone Belal resulted in four fatalities and an estimated 100 million euros in damages, according to France Assureurs. The comparison underscores the escalating threat posed by increasingly intense weather events.

During the cyclone’s peak on Friday, Météo-France recorded wind gusts reaching 230 km/h on Piton Sainte-Rose, located in the extreme east of the island. Torrential rains accompanied the strong winds, causing widespread flooding. Social media platforms have been flooded with videos showing streets transformed into raging rivers, particularly in Saint-Denis and Saint-André. Other videos depict cars being swept away by the floodwaters, illustrating the sheer force of the cyclone.

In response to the crisis, the French government is mobilizing resources to support the affected population. Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, has pledged that the military will assist state services and support the population. The existing air bridge between Reunion Island and Mayotte, which was established following Cyclone Chido in mid-December, will be maintained to transport firefighters, law enforcement personnel, vehicles, and essential supplies.

Minister of Overseas Territories, Manuel Valls, is scheduled to visit Reunion Island in the coming days to assess the damage and determine the necessary aid in coordination with the prefect and local elected officials. His presence underscores the government’s commitment to assisting the island’s recovery.

A first detachment of civil security reinforcements has already arrived from Mayotte, comprising 90 personnel. A second wave of reinforcements, including civil security personnel, national gendarmerie, and a team from EDF (the French national electricity company), is expected to arrive on Sunday night or Monday morning.

Approximately 1,000 police officers and gendarmes have been deployed to maintain order and prevent looting. 600 firefighters and nearly 20 personnel from the SAMU (Emergency Medical Service) are also on the ground, providing critical assistance. 2,000 tarpaulins and 100 camp beds have been delivered to the northern and eastern districts of the island. Prefect Latron has also announced a ban on swimming due to the degraded water quality.

Residents of Reunion Island, accustomed to facing climatic challenges, have expressed their fear in the face of the cyclone’s intensity. One resident of Saint-Denis, Chanel, recounted the unprecedented flooding, noting that parking lots were inundated to an extent not seen during previous cyclones, making it impossible to move vehicles.

Olivier Fontaine, President of the Chamber of Agriculture of Reunion Island, reported "unprecedented destruction and damage" to the agricultural sector. He estimated that several thousand farms have been devastated, highlighting the severe economic consequences of the cyclone.

The Eastern Reunion Hospital Group has also reported "major damage." Windows were shattered by the force of the winds, requiring the relocation of 61 patients within the facility to ensure their safety. External evacuations were not necessary.

Floris Carpaye of the FDSEA, the main agricultural union in Reunion Island, lamented the widespread impact on all agricultural sectors. He singled out market gardening as particularly affected, with greenhouses destroyed and vegetable crops submerged. He characterized the situation as a "true catastrophe" for the island’s farmers. The full extent of the damage and the long-term economic impact of Cyclone Garance are still being assessed, but it is clear that the island faces a long and challenging road to recovery.