Tropical Cyclone Garance kills four and leaves over 180 000 without power, Réunion
Tropical Cyclone Garance made landfall on Réunion’s northern coast at 10:00 local time (06:00 UTC) on February 28, 2025, bringing intense winds and heavy rainfall. The storm caused significant damage and left at least four people dead, while thousands remained without power, water, and internet access.
Image credit: Gendarmerie Nationale
Garance was an intense tropical cyclone at the time of landfall, equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane, delivering sustained winds of up to 155 km/h (95 mph) and gusts surpassing 200 km/h (125 mph).
Among the highest recorded gusts, Meteo-France reported 214 km/h (133 mph) at Gillot Airport, the highest recorded for the airport since Cyclone Jenny struck the island in 1962.
Some areas experienced even stronger winds, peaking at 234 km/h (145 mph) and matching gusts recorded at Sainte-Rose during Cyclone Hollanda in February 1994. However, it’s worth noting that Cyclone Dina in 2002 brought even higher speeds to the island, exceeding this mark with gusts reaching up to 279 km/h.
The “brutal and violent” conditions were more severe than those of Cyclone Belal, which killed four people on the island in January 2024, Prefect Patrice Latron said.
Garance caused widespread destruction, leaving over 182 000 households without electricity, 171 000 without water, and 134 000 without internet access.
Roofs were blown off, trees uprooted, and streets damaged, with 30% of the island losing power and 10% losing water access at one point.
Local authorities report at least four deaths as of March 1, with earlier updates citing three.
By March 1, Garance had weakened to a strong tropical storm after crossing the island and exiting the southwest by late Friday afternoon.
The Red alert was lifted, though residents are urged to remain cautious and limit travel due to lingering hazards like fallen power lines and flooding. Conditions are improving in the north, but the south still faces challenges.
France’s Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said on Friday that Garance was of a “rare intensity,” while Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated that armed forces were prepared to assist.
Around 100 troops and firefighters were on standby to be deployed from the French territory of Mayotte, nearly 1 500 km (930 miles) away, when conditions improved, along with another 100 from mainland France.
References:
1 Three dead as ‘brutal’ cyclone sweeps through Reunion – BBC – March 1, 2025
2 Cyclone Garance hits French Indian Ocean island of Reunion; police report 3 deaths – AP – March 1, 2025
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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