Mauritius grounded flights and shut its stock exchange as tropical cyclone Freddy approached the island across the Indian Ocean on Monday, while emergency teams braced for heavy rains, floods and landslides in four regions on Madagascar.
The cyclone, packing wind gusts of up to 120 km per hour , posed a direct threat to Mauritius, its weather service said.
"As Freddy approaches ... storm surge is likely to cause coastal inundation in risk areas. It is, therefore, strictly advised" not to go to sea, the service's bulletin said. The cyclone could pass as close as 120 km to the north-northwest of the island late in the afternoon, the service said. A video verified by Reuters showed strong winds and waves hitting an oceanfront hotel in Mauritius as water entered the lobby of the hotel as guests and staff looked on.
Authorities on the island of Madagascar - about 1,130 km west of Mauritius towards the coast of Africa - said they were expecting a direct hit by late Tuesday, between Mahanoro in the east and Manakara in the south east.
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