Less than a month since it was hit by a deadly cyclone, the French territory of Mayotte was bracing Sunday for a severe storm expected to bring strong winds and flash floods. Authorities have called for “extreme vigilance” as the French weather service warned residents that the new storm could be reclassified as a cyclone.
The Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte was placed on red alert from 1900 GMT on Saturday in anticipation of the passage of Dikeledi, a storm forecast to skirt about 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of the territory.
It hit the northern coast of Madagascar as a cyclone on Saturday evening and weakened into a severe tropical storm, but is expected to regain intensity as it moves towards Mayotte.
It could be reclassified as a cyclone by Monday morning, according to French weather service Meteo-France.
Authorities called for “extreme vigilance” following the devastation wrought by Cyclone Chido in mid-December.
“Significant rain and wind deterioration is confirmed for the morning” in Mayotte, Meteo-France said in an update just before 6 am local time on Sunday (0300 GMT).
“Very heavy rains could generate flash floods,” it warned, adding that “floods and landslides are expected in the coming hours”.
It could also bring wind gusts of up to 90 kilometres per hour to the French territory, as well as “dangerous sea conditions”.
(AFP)
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