The Foreign Office has issued a stark warning to anyone who is currently in, or planning to visit, a popular tourist destination. A weather warning has been issued across Mauritius over fears stemming from the severe tropical storm Garance.
According to the UK’s foreign affairs department, this storm will affect the weather across the island throughout the rest of the week. Furthermore, flights to the island may face disruptions as Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport will be closed from 7pm local time on February 26 until further notice.
Because of this, travellers are being advised to contact their airlines to see the latest travel updates. The Foreign Office has warned: “Stay in a safe place and follow instructions and updates from local authorities closely.
“If you are visiting Mauritius and need urgent consular assistance, contact us on +230 660 4900 and press option 2.” It comes after the Mauritius Meteorological Services announced a class 3 cyclone warning due to the storm intensifying just 440 kilometres northwest of Mauritius.
According to the weather office, wind speeds are reaching as high as 70km per hour with members of the public also being warned to stay away from the sea. Meanwhile, the wider part of the Southern Hemisphere region is now in its cyclone season, with some agencies reporting as many as six tropical storms across the region.
According to US media weather agency AccuWeather, six tropical storms were operating in the southern Indian and Pacific oceans at the same time earlier this week – an event that reportedly last took place in 1989.
Among these storms was Garance, alongside cyclones Honde, Bianca, Alfred, and Seru and Rae. It is understood that the cause of the increased storm activity is the weak wind shear and warm sea-surface temperature.
Data from Colorado State University has also highlighted that tropical cyclone energy across the Southern Hemishphere is 138% above normal levels.
Despite the worrying rise in storm activity, forecasters expect it to start settling down over the next few weeks. This attributed to the sun shifting to the Northern hemisphere after the spring equinox which will aid in cooling water temperatures.