Reunion Island on highest alert as major storm hits

SAINT-DENIS DE LA REUNION — Hundreds of thousands of people on France’s Reunion Island were confined to their homes on Monday, as authorities issued the highest alert for a potentially devastating storm.

Cyclone Belal was expected to barrel directly into the French Indian Ocean island on Monday, as it moved in from the northwest packing “extreme winds”, according to the Meteo-France forecast.

“The eye of the storm will directly cross over the island,” the meteorological service said in its latest public bulletin. 

“Belal is not, however, expected to become an intense tropical cyclone.”

In preparation for gusty winds that could exceed 250 kilometres per hour  in the highlands, authorities hoisted the violet-level alert, indicating imminent danger, at 6:00am (2:00 GMT), putting all 870,000 inhabitants, including the emergency services, on strict lockdown.

“All circulation is formally prohibited for any reason whatsoever, and until further notice,” the official statement said.

Authorities urged islanders to stock up on food and water and stay indoors for 36 hours.

Expecting waves up to 13-15 metres high, the entire coastline was put on alert.

Many balconies and gardens had been cleared of any objects that could be carried away or broken, and shopkeepers took in removable signs.

“We are not going to play heroes, we were told to stay at home,” said Jules Dafreville, who lives in the capital Saint-Denis. 

“I returned in the middle of the afternoon and I don’t plan to come out before... Tuesday morning.” 

The island’s main airport said it was suspending flight operations.

French President Emmanuel Macron took to social media on Sunday to urge residents to stay indoors. “Be careful, stay at home,” he said on X.

The last major cyclone to hit Reunion was in 2014.

But speaking about the dangers of the current storm, authorities evoked Cyclone Firinga in 1989, which destroyed hundreds of homes and dropped record-breaking rain.

Meteo-France warned of a possible “lull” as the eye of the storm tracked over the island, but added, “This should not be understood as the end of the cyclone.”

“Quite the opposite, as the winds will pick up again in completely different directions,” said Celine Jauffret at the forecasting service. 

The weather service warned that winds could exceed 200km/h on the coast and 250km/h or more in the highlands. 

“These are destructive and devastating winds that could cause major damage,” said Sebastien Langlade, head of forecasting at Meteo-France Reunion.

Residents were also warned to beware potentially flooded rivers.

Six emergency health centres were set up for people requiring treatment, in addition to the 142 accommodation centres across the country for people to use in the event of flooding.

Olivier Blondet, manager of two restaurants and a nightclub in Saint-Denis, prepared his three establishments for the worst.

“We’re trying to make sure there’s absolutely nothing that can come off the ground and be thrown onto the windows or walls,” he said on BFMTV.