Authorities in La Réunion put the Indian Ocean island on its highest "purple alert" Friday, February 28, as a cyclone bore down threatening a "direct impact."
"Faced with a direct impact, with winds gusting to more than 200 km/h (around 125 miles per hour), the prefect will trigger the purple alert," authorities said in a press release published on X.
La Réunion and nearby Mauritius – around 225 kilometres (140 miles) to the northeast – have been on high alert since Wednesday as Cyclone Garance neared the popular tourist destinations.
Mauritius shut its main airport on Wednesday, while La Réunion did the same on Thursday.
Weather service Meteo-France warned there could be a "direct impact" on La Réunion, urging the population of around 900,000 to stay indoors.