Cyclone-hit Mayotte on red alert as new storm approaches
Authorities have put the French overseas territory of Mayotte on red alert late on Saturday, Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville said, as a tropical storm nears the Indian Ocean archipelago that was devastated by a cyclone last month.
Mayotte was placed on a red weather alert from 1900 GMT on Saturday in anticipation of the passage of Cyclone Dikeledi to the south of the territory.
Authorities called for "extreme vigilance" following the devastation wrought by Cyclone Chido in mid-December
"I have decided to bring forward this red alert to 10:00 pm to allow everyone to take shelter, to confine themselves, to take care of the people close to you, your children, your families," Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville, the top Paris-appointed official on the territory, said on television.
Meteo-France predicted "significant rain and windy conditions", saying that very heavy rain could cause flooding.
The most devastating cyclone to hit France's poorest department in 90 years caused colossal damage, killing at least 39 people and injuring more than 5,600 in December.
"We need to be seriously prepared for the possibility of a close passage of the cyclone and the triggering of a red alert," the Mayotte prefecture said on X.
Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville said the cyclone was forecast to pass within 110 kilometres (70 miles) of the archipelago's southern coast.
"We even have systems telling us 75 kilometres. So we have something that is going to hit Mayotte very closely", he told reporters in Mamoudzou on Saturday morning.
Read more on FRANCE 24 English
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