Mauritius lashed by rains as intense Cyclone Freddy arrives
Mauritius canceled flights and closed its stock exchange Monday as an intense tropical cyclone approached the Indian Ocean island nation, bringing rainfall and gusty winds with it.
The Stock Exchange of Mauritius said it would shut its doors after the Mauritius Meteorological Services (MMS) issued a Class 3 cyclone warning, saying estimated gusts in the center of Cyclone Freddy could reach around 280 kilometers (170 miles) an hour.
In its latest update at around 7 pm (1500 GMT), the agency said Freddy had "passed at its closest distance from the island" at about 120 kilometers to the north and was moving west-southwest at a speed of about 30 kilometers an hour.
The MMS said that although Freddy had undergone "a slight weakening", thunderstorms and gusty weather would continue.
"Sea will be high with heavy swells of the order of seven meters beyond the reefs. Storm surge will continue to cause inundation along the low-lying coastal areas. It is, therefore, strictly advised not to go at sea."
Winds whip through palm trees in the fishing village of Mahebourg in Mauritius.
The idyllic holiday destination is renowned for its spectacular white sandy beaches and turquoise waters but also lies in the pathway of occasional cyclones.