Mauritius is currently undergoing a damage assessment in the wake of Cyclone Belal, which inundated the island nation in the Indian Ocean with torrential rainfall and inundation.
Despite the fact that the storm was now moving eastward, the country's meteorological service warned that "other environmental dangers" persisted. At least one fatality has been reported in Réunion and one in Mauritius.
Mauritius raised the cyclone warning to its highest level for a period of time, but later reported that the most severe threat had passed.
Due to Monday's flooding in the capital city of Port Louis, approximately one hundred vehicles were damaged or abandoned by their owners.
Tuesday saw a significant decline in flood levels, allowing authorities to effectively remove detritus from the streets.
Port Louis waterfront photographs revealed extensive devastation.
Authorities stated that a comprehensive evaluation of the major arteries and critical infrastructure was in progress.
As the storm moved away from Mauritius, the Mauritius Meteorological Services (MMS) issued a "safety bulletin." This came a few hours after the MMS announced it was increasing its alert level to four, the utmost level.
The storm was reportedly approaching the Indian Ocean from the east at a pace of approximately 18 kilometres per hour (11 miles per hour).
"While the likelihood of cyclonic conditions persisting over Mauritius has diminished, there are still additional environmental hazards at hand," the statement continued, advising individuals to remain in secure locations and refrain from venturing to sea or strolling along coastlines due to the storm surge potential.
Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth criticised the MMS for its response to the storm and verified one fatality on Monday. The director of MMS has tendered his resignation.
"I must acknowledge that Cyclone Belal has caused a great deal of difficulty for the nation," he said, adding that government decisions had been based on data from the meteorological service.
"I sympathise with the current indignation of the Mauritiusan people." "I am adamant that whoever is to blame for this predicament must accept their obligations." Tuesday found the international airport remaining closed.
On Monday, the deserted streets of Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, were filled with the sound of metal sheets clattering in the gusting wind, while those further south on the island endured the most severe weather.
Port Louis was engulfed in videos of catastrophic flash flooding, which also revealed automobiles submerged in swift-moving floodwaters.
According to the International Federation of Red Cross Africa, over one thousand individuals had been evacuated, and an estimated eight,400 Mauritius residents were without electricity.
At the very least, one person has already lost their life as a result of Cyclone Belal in the geographical region surrounding Réunion.
The French overseas territory of Réunion appeared to have been spared the worst of the hurricane when it moved to the north, despite the fact that warnings had been issued.
The prefect of the region, Jerôme Filippini, indicated that the "catastrophic character" that was previously predicted had not materialised. He said this in a statement.
