Africa-Press – Mauritius. A year after the devastating passage of Cyclone Chido, anxiety still lingers in Agaléga as the island braces for the arrival of moderate tropical storm Chenge. Residents once again express frustration over the absence of a cyclone alert system similar to the one operational in Mauritius and Rodrigues. According to them, the special bulletins issued by the Vacoas weather station are insufficient to provide timely and clear information when cyclonic threats arise.
Laval Soopramanien, president of the Association Amis d’Agaléga, emphasizes the urgent need to strengthen the communication and alert mechanisms for the outer islands. He insists that Agaléga deserves a fully equipped warning-class system like that of Mauritius. “The system must be upgraded,” he says. “So far, there has been no consultation or concrete action from the relevant authorities. It seems as though the concerns of the Agaléans are being overlooked.”
During Cyclone Chido’s passage, only special bulletins were issued, with no formal activation of the standard cyclone alert protocol. This lack of structured warnings continues to alarm local residents as storm Chenge approaches. In Creole, Soopramanien reiterates, “Bann otorite konserne bizin reconsider sa sitiasion-la. Enn an finn fini pase, me nanye pa finn sanze” (The concerned authorities must reconsider this situation. A year has passed, but nothing has changed).
Meteorologist Avinash Dookee of Meteo Mauritius confirms that specific advisories are indeed produced for Agaléga during cyclone forecasts. “For Agaléga, we only issue special communiqués,” he explains. “There is no formal warning class system like in Mauritius, where bulletins are released at fixed times and follow a detailed protocol.” His statement reinforces the gap between mainland safety measures and those available to Agaléga’s isolated population.
To date, no decision has been made to implement a comprehensive cyclone alert system for Agaléga. The Vacoas station confirms that no formal discussions are underway to address the issue. During a parliamentary question session on December 17, 2024, then-Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam clarified that the previous warning system had been replaced with special communiqués. Nine such notices were released between December 9 and 12 regarding Cyclone Chido, which caused severe damage to local meteorological equipment and produced wind gusts estimated to have exceeded 200 km/h.
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