Seychelles Islands Bracing For Extremely Rare Equatorial Cyclone (Cat 3) - Reuters

[hatrack]

VICTORIA - Seychelles authorities evacuated 35 people from a remote atoll ahead of a rare tropical cyclone due to strike there on Thursday, officials said.

The move left just eight residents of Farquhar sheltering in a concrete bunker waiting for cyclone Bondo, which is expected to whip in with winds touching 190 kph (120 mph).

"We expect major damage to the infrastructure there, but we will only know the extent of it tomorrow," said Glenny Savy, chief executive of the government body that runs the island.

EDIT

Mauritius meteorologist Rajoo Veerasamy said cyclones were extremely rare in the 115-isle Seychelles archipelago because of its proximity to the equator. Farquhar Atoll lies some 800 km (500 miles) southwest of the Seychelles' main island, Mahe. (Additional reporting by Ed Harris in Maurituis)

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http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/39602/story.htm

[phantom power]

1. WTF?