The Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and Reunion on Thursday declared a state of high alert due to severe tropical storm Garance (Garance) category 3, which has been called a "direct threat" to these tourist destinations, writes UNN citing France 24.
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Mauritius closed its main airport on Wednesday, while the nearby French island of Reunion was expected to do the same on Thursday.
Authorities on Reunion Island on Friday declared the highest "purple alert" on the island due to an approaching cyclone.
"Faced with direct impact, with wind gusts of more than 200 km/h, the prefect will issue a purple alert," authorities said in a press release posted on X.
The Mauritius Meteorological Service said the cyclone was 310 kilometers northwest of the island and had become an "intense tropical storm.
The cyclone is "dangerously approaching Mauritius and poses a direct threat," the report said, adding that flooding is expected.
Garance was heading east but has turned south and is expected to pass between Mauritius and Reunion.
On its current track, the cyclone is expected to pass within 50 kilometers of Reunion between Thursday evening and Friday morning, the prefecture said in a statement.
Meteorological service Meteo-France warned there could be a "direct impact" on Reunion, urging the population of around 900,000 to stay indoors.
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The previous red cyclone warning for Reunion Island was issued in January 2024, when Cyclone Belal struck the island, killing four people and causing about €100 million ($104 million) in damage.