As cyclone nears, Mauritius and Madagascar brace for floods, storm surge
MAURITIUS grounded flights and shut its stock exchange as tropical cyclone Freddy approached the island in the Indian Ocean, while emergency teams braced for heavy rains, floods and landslides in four regions on Madagascar. The cyclone, packing wind gusts of up to 120 km per hour (75 miles per hour), posed a direct threat to Mauritius, its weather service said. "As Freddy approaches ... (a) storm surge is likely to cause coastal inundation in risk areas. It is, therefore, strictly advised" not to go to sea, the service's bulletin said. The cyclone could pass as close as 120 km (75…