The meteorological services stated that Mauritius suspended flights and closed schools Thursday as a powerful tropical storm approached the Indian Ocean island.
“Storm Eleanor was around 200 kilometres (125 miles) northeast of the country at 4:00 a.m. (0000 GMT) and was moving at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour”, the weather service continued.
The weather service went on to say, “The wind will initially blow from the southeast at a speed of around 40 km/h reaching 110 km/h by midday, strengthening to over 120 km/h”.
The country’s main international airport operator announced the facility’s closure, with national airline Air Mauritius canceling flights set to depart on Thursday morning.
Public transport was also suspended and schools were closed.
The remote island nation is known for its magnificent white sandy beaches and turquoise waters, but it also lies in the path of occasional cyclones.
Tropical storm Belal killed one person in January, knocked off power for thousands, flooded buildings, and caused traffic mayhem.
Approximately a dozen storms or cyclones occur in the southwest Indian Ocean each year between November and April.
Cyclone Freddy battered Mauritius with heavy rains and powerful winds in February of last year, causing a wave of death and destruction throughout southeastern Africa, including Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar.
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