By Bisola Adeyemo
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Residents on Reunion Island prepare for tropical cyclone Batsirai, which is due to pass through overnight. Currently 285 km north of the Reunionese coast, the storm has already brought heavy rains and wind gusts.
Thousands of homes were left without power in Mauritius on Wednesday as powerful cyclone winds battered the Indian Ocean island nation.
Tropical cyclone Batsirai passed within about 130 kilometres (80 miles) of the holiday paradise, bringing heavy downpours and winds of around 120 kilometres per hour, with a peak of 151 kilometres per hour recorded in the capital Port Louis. Life was brought to a standstill, with public transport cancelled, shops and banks shut, and air and sea travel halted.
At least 7,500 homes were without power after the winds knocked down trees onto electricity lines, according to the local electricity board. The telephone network was also disrupted.
