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Cyclone Garance Leaves Five Dead and Widespread Devastation in La Réunion

The powerful storm brought record-breaking winds, severe flooding, and catastrophic damage to homes, infrastructure, and agriculture on the island.

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Une vue d’un arbre tombé pendant le passage du cyclone Garance sur l’île de La Réunion, le 28 février 2025.
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Overview

  • The death toll from Cyclone Garance has risen to five after the discovery of a missing man's body in Saint-Paul, according to local authorities.
  • The cyclone caused record wind speeds, including gusts of 234 km/h, and torrential rainfall, leading to severe flooding and infrastructure damage across the island.
  • Approximately 90,000 households remain without electricity due to the collapse of 21 high-tension pylons, with extensive repair efforts underway involving hundreds of technicians and reinforcements from mainland France.
  • Agriculture has been devastated, with nearly all crops in affected areas destroyed, leaving farmers facing months of recovery and significant financial losses.
  • Access to clean water and telecommunications remains disrupted for tens of thousands, as emergency services and military personnel work to restore essential services and clear blocked roads.