Mauritius: The Meteorological services of Mauritius have issued a cyclone warning class II in the country for Tropical Storm Eleanor. The warning is in affect in the country starting Wednesday, February 21. The official warning about the cyclone was issued at 02:10 Hours.
The Met Office has promised to keep the people of the country updated on the situation as and when new information becomes available. The Meteorological services are monitoring the cyclone for the previous hours.
The officials announced that they will support and assist the people in the event of an emergency. Accordingly, units of the police force have been deployed and remain mobilized across the island to ensure the safety of the general public. The units include:
- The Special Mobile Force,
- The Special Support Unit,
- The National Coast Guard,
- The firefighters,
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center is monitoring the situation closely and asks the public to carefully follow the preliminary safety precautions including:
- The general public, as well as those working in risk areas, including Port Louis, are strongly recommended to avoid parking in locations known to be flood risk areas, including Rue la Poudrière, rue la Chaussée, and along the Pouce stream, drains and underground parking lots, among others
- Temporary structures constructed in connection with the festival of Mahashivaratri, particularly at Ganga Talao, including tents and other temporary installations, must be dismantled and secured
- During heavy rains, the public is urged to take shelter in safe places and not venture outside
- The public is recommended to move to higher places if the water continues to rise rapidly and to prepare a first aid kit in case they need to be evacuated
- Motorists are asked to limit their travel and be vigilant, as roads may become slippery, presenting a risk of water accumulation in certain places
The officials have shared the weather update for the country about the next twenty-four hours.
Weather will be partly cloudy during the day on Wednesday. Clouds will start to cross the Island from late afternoon with passing showers mainly to the East, the South and over the high grounds.
The offices believe that the cloud formation will be associated with the moderate tropical storm. As TS Eleanor approaches the Mauritius region, the weather is expected to deteriorate. The officials believe that the weather may become bad by the late hours of the evening. They warned about moderate to heavy thundery showers.
Wind will blow from the east-southeast at a speed of about 25 km/h with gusts reaching 60 km/h, strengthening gradually as of this afternoon.
The sea will gradually become very rough with swells beyond the reefs. The public is advised not to venture at sea.
The next bulletin will be issued at around 16:10 hours.