• Source:JND
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Cyclone Belal: The French island of La Reunion lifted a cyclone alert on Tuesday, as cyclone Belal that struck the Indian Ocean island a day earlier had moved away and no longer posed a threat, local authorities said. As the cyclone drifted away, the authorities in Mauritius are assessing the damage brought by torrential rain and flooding to the Indian Ocean island nation.

The meteorological agency said the storm was moving away eastwards and that it no longer represents a danger to our territory. The Mauritius Meteorological Services (MMS) said a "safety bulletin" was now in force as the storm was moving away from Mauritius - this came a few hours after it announced it was raising its alert to four, the maximum level.

The lifting of the red alert means local businesses can restart activities but residents were advised to stay at home if possible. Nurseries would open from Wednesday but schools would remain closed until Monday, the Prefecture of La Reunion said.

Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth confirmed one death and criticised the MMS for its response to the storm. "I have to admit that the country has had a difficult time because of Cyclone Belal," he said, adding that government decisions had relied on information from the meteorological service. "I share the anger of the people of Mauritius at this time. I am determined that the responsible of this situation must assume their responsibilities."

Due to the cyclone, one person died in Mauritius and another in Réunion. Also, around 100 vehicles were damaged and abandoned by their owners as a result of floods that hit the capital Port Louis on Monday.

The International Federation of Red Cross Africa said that more than 1,000 people had been evacuated, and about 8,400 people in Mauritius were without power. Several videos showed flash flooding in Port Louis, as well as cars submerged in fast-flowing flood waters.