(Posted 21st October 2026)
Image taken from social media
Seychelles has recorded more than 100 active emergency cases following heavy rainfall and strong winds associated with a developing tropical depression, with all three of the country’s main inner islands, Mahe, Praslin and La Digue, affected.
The Department of Risk and Disaster Management (DRDM) confirmed the cases during a press conference at its headquarters earlier in the week, attended by Vice-President Sebastien Pillay and DRDM Principal Secretary, Daniel Cetoupe, as emergency teams continued responding to flooding, fallen trees, landslides and disruptions to public infrastructure across the country.
According to Cetoupe, the active cases recorded as of 4 p.m. on Monday represented incidents still requiring intervention or assessment, while several additional cases had already been resolved.
The authorities warned that adverse weather conditions could continue into Wednesday.
“We’ve had various cases ranging from flooding, wind-related with fallen trees, landslide, rockfall, road hazards, damage to utilities,” Cetoupe told journalists.
Praslin and La Digue also affected
Among the areas significantly affected is Praslin, where fallen trees and landslides have disrupted road connections, particularly along routes serving the Grand Anse and Baie Sainte Anne districts.
Cetoupe confirmed that emergency teams had been deployed to restore access, including along the Vallée de Mai and Consolation roads, where further incidents had complicated clearance operations.
La Digue has also experienced flooding, with the island’s drainage conditions presenting additional challenges.
Cetoupe explained that the combination of heavy rainfall and high tides had made it difficult for floodwater to drain naturally, requiring the deployment of pumps and other equipment.
The DRDM has been coordinating with the Public Utilities Corporation, the Ministry of Environment and private contractors to address the situation.
Despite the widespread disruptions, Cetoupe stressed that the authorities were treating the situation as an emergency rather than declaring it a disaster.
“This is an emergency, not a disaster. We have the capacity to deal with it as long as cases are reported so that we can better coordinate where resources are deployed to ensure a fast and swift response,” he said.
It was confirmed to ATCNews that no tourists had come to harm as hotels, resorts and guesthouses had kept their guests inhouse and guided them to avoid going to the beaches and stay in their rooms or the public areas.
Air transport across the islands was severely impacted for both scheduled flights to Praslin as well as chartered flights to other islands as were incoming and outgoing flights on the main island of Mahe.
