E-Paper
Mauritius to shut down sole airport as tropical storm ‘Garance’ intensifies
The country’s meteorological services raised a cyclone warning to Class III for the first time in the current summer season
The sole airport in Mauritius is scheduled to shut down from Wednesday evening until further notice after the country’s meteorological services raised a cyclone warning to Class III for the first time in the current summer season.
Banks, the stock exchange and non-essential services’ offices are currently closed as Wednesday is a public holiday. They will have to remain shut if the warning remains in place.
Also read | PM Narendra Modi to be guest of honour at Mauritius' National Day, to visit on March 11-12
Garance, a severe tropical storm located off the northwestern coast of the Indian Ocean island nation, is expected to reach tropical-cyclone intensity, the meteorological services said, meaning winds could reach 165 kilometers (102 miles) per hour. “Garance constitutes a direct threat to the island,” it said.
Also read | UK and Mauritius say ‘good progress’ made in Chagos Islands talks
While the first two months of the year are usually the country’s wettest, January has been the second-driest in the past 25 years, with the rainfall just 30% of the long-term mean. The lack of rain and dwindling water levels in major reservoirs prompted the government to impose restrictions on usage for non-essential activities.
