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Mauritius braces for tropical storm

Xinhua, January 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

Authorities in Mauritius are mobilized since Monday morning to face torrential rains and string winds of tropical storm Bansi in the coming hours.

Environment Minister Raj Dayal on Monday called for an urgent meeting in Port-Louis with members of the National Disaster Committee as the storm is expected to pass by the country earlier Wednesday.

Mr. Dayal asked for all roads to be clean in the island to prevent any cases of drains being flooded.

He also gave instructions to the police forces to be ready to intervene in case the storm cause severe damages to vulnerable people.

Bansi is the first storm to threaten the beautiful skies of Mauritius this year. A cyclone warning class Two is in force since this morning and the weather forecast department intended to put a class Three on Tuesday, which will imply that all economic activities will have to be suspended pending the storm goes away.

"It seems that more than 100 millimeters of rainfall in the coming days will fall in Mauritius," said Rajan Mungra, the new chief of the weather forecast in Mauritius.

Whilst Mauritians in general welcome the rainfall as there were some drought issues, they fear the winds of Bansi.

The government has already opened some 100 community centers to operate as cyclone refugee centers. Endi