Mauritius shuts down as cyclone Freddy brings heavy rainfall: Top updates

Cyclone Freddy In Mauritius: No government services were operating in the country, while shops, banks and petrol stations were shut and public transport halted, AFP reported.

Cyclone Freddy- an intense tropical weather system approached Mauritius bringing with it heavy rainfall and winds in Mauritius. The island nation cancelled flights and closed its stock exchange as the weather agency issued a Class 3 cyclone warning, saying estimated gusts in the centre of cyclone Freddy could reach around 280 kilometres (170 miles) an hour.

Cyclone Freddy In Mauritius: A man walks through a flooded road in the coast of the Indian Ocean Island of Mauritius.(AP)

Here are top updates on cyclone Freddy in Mauritius:

1. No government services were operating in the country, while shops, banks and petrol stations were shut and public transport halted, AFP reported.

2. The weather agency said that cyclone Freddy had "passed at its closest distance from the island" at about 120 kilometres to the north and was moving west-southwest at a speed of about 30 kilometres an hour.

3. It had also undergone "a slight weakening", thunderstorms and gusty weather would continue, the weather agency said.

4. “Sea will be high with heavy swells of the order of seven metres beyond the reefs. Storm surge will continue to cause inundation along the low-lying coastal areas. It is, therefore, strictly advised not to go at sea,” it informed.

5. Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth urged citizens to take all necessary precautions. "Cyclone Freddy is an extremely strong cyclone which is a direct threat" to the islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues and Saint-Brandon, he said.

6. Airports of Mauritius announced that the international airport would be closed from Monday until further notice.

7. Madagascar is also bracing for cyclone Freddy which is expected to make landfall on Tuesday night.