Mauritius Raises Cyclone Warning Alert to Maximum, Amidst Torrential Rain and Flooding

Mauritius has raised a cyclone warning alert to maximum after Cyclone Belal brought torrential rain and flooding to the Indian Ocean island nation.

The country’s meteorological service said the storm was now moving away eastwards, but warned that “other environmental risks” still existed.

At least one person has died in Mauritius, and another in neighboring reunion, from the storm.

The Mauritius Meteorological Service (MMS) said that the level 4 warning, the maximum level, was in place after the storm hit close to the country’s southern coast on Tuesday morning at about 90 kilometers per hour.

It said the storm was now moving eastwards, in the direction of the Indian Ocean, at a speed of about 18 kilometers per hour.

Cyclone Belal has already hit nearby reunions, leaving at least one person dead.

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Despite warnings of reunion, a French overseas territory appeared to have been spared the worst of the cyclone, as the eye of the storm passed to the north.

Jerôme Filippini, the region’s prefect, said it had not had the cataclysmic character initially feared.

The public is advised to maintain all precautions and remain indoors, the agency said.

But it said in an update at around 7:00 am (0300 GMT) that barometric pressure was rising, indicating that Belal has already crossed at its closest distance from Mauritius.

However, the cyclonic winds associated with Belal are still influencing the island, the MMS added.

Severe Tropical Storm Belal is centered at about 150 kilometers (93 miles) south-southeast of Mauritius and is moving eastwards at a speed of about 15 kilometers an hour, according to the MMS.