Mauritius Mopping Up After Storm Belal Wreaks Havoc

Port Louis, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Jan, 2024) Mauritius was on Tuesday assessing the damage wrought by tropical storm Belal as it rolled away from the Indian Ocean island nation, allowing international flights to resume.

Belal has claimed the life of one person in the remote tourist paradise, left thousands without power, flooded buildings and caused traffic chaos, with cars washed away by a deluge of water or piled up on streets.

Mauritius Meteorological Services (MMS) had announced early Tuesday it was raising its cyclone alert to the maximum level four but at 2:10 pm (1010 GMT) it said "all cyclone warnings for Mauritius are being waived".

Belal had already battered the French overseas territory of Reunion, leaving one person dead. The authorities there announced Tuesday that a red alert had been lifted.

The operator of the international airport in Mauritius announced it would resume operations at 3:15 pm after closing on Monday as the cyclone approached, leaving a number of flights cancelled.

"However, intending passengers are strongly advised to contact their respective airlines for further information on the status of their flights and not to proceed to the airport, unless receiving confirmation of the revised departure time," it said in a statement.

Tourism is a key contributor to the country's economy, with visitors wooed by its spectacular white beaches and turquoise waters.

More than one million visitors travelled to Mauritius in 2022, according to official figures.

"We have some tourists who need to catch their plane this afternoon, and we still don't know if we can drive or if the plane will take off," Ram Mahadea, a taxi driver who works at a hotel in the south of the island, had said earlier.