Reunion Island braces for storm with ‘really unsafe’ prospective

Reunion Island braces for storm with ‘really harmful’ possible By Mahdia BENHAMLA Saint-Denis De La Reunion (AFP) Jan 13, 2024 Authorities on France’s Reunion Island on Saturday advised locals to stockpile on food and water ahead of a hurricane that runs the risk of enhancing to a cyclone before it strikes Sunday night. “What’s taking place need to be taken seriously, really seriously even,” the Indian Ocean department’s main federal government agent Jerome Filippini informed an interview. He stated the island’s 870,000 citizens should “have stocks of water and food, and be prepared to live autonomously for numerous hours or a number of days, and have a first-aid package”. The storm, called Belal, might hammer the island with winds of approximately 150 km/h (90 miles per hour) if it just passes close by, according to the Meteo France weather condition service. “a direct hit can not be ruled out, which would indicate winds of more than 220 km/h on the coasts and 250 km/h in the highlands”, Meteo France’s local director Celine Jauffret stated. An ocean storm rise of 6 metres (20 feet) and heavy rain is likewise anticipated. “I took simply one six-bottle pack of water, I had actually currently stockpiled in the past,” stated Aurore Fontaine, an accounting professional amongst crowds of buyers at a grocery store in the primary city of Saint-Denis. “I likewise purchased canned food and some deli meats for making sandwiches.” On the west of the island, Jean-Pierre Mondon stated his water tank was complete, however he was more concerned about his tomato and lettuce crops. “I was going to collect them in simply a week, today it’s destroyed,” he stated while removing his protective greenhouses. “It’s much better to do it before the wind blows it all away.” The last significant cyclone to strike Reunion
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