Mauritius was calm on Thursday following unrest earlier in the week, the police said.
“All the island’s roads are passable and free of any obstructions,” the police said in a statement on Thursday that noted a number of arrests overnight. “All work and other activities will be able to resume as normal” after the curfew is lifted.
The government on Wednesday extended a curfew for two more nights after the Indian Ocean island nation experienced its worst unrest since 1999. Anger about the cost of living and protests over water shortages that began last week spiraled after police shot a woman.
“We view the current unrest as a temporary disruption rather than a fundamental deterioration in the country’s investment outlook,” said Jervin Naidoo, a senior political economist at Oxford Economics. The protests “highlight growing domestic socioeconomic pressures that the government will need to address to preserve Mauritius’ stability and investment appeal.”
🇲🇺 Mauritius closes schools and urges companies to adopt flexible arrangements as protests escalate: Media
What reportedly sparked the unrest:
🔸 Protests erupted over water shortages, supply disruptions, and rising living costs;
🔸 Tensions flared after police shot and injured a 27-year-old woman on Friday;
🔸 On Monday night, demonstrators burned a police station in Rose Hill, torched tires, and blocked roads.
📹 Social media footage shows scenes of unrest.
— Sputnik Africa (@sputnik_africa) October 13, 2026
#Mauritius🇲🇺 Commissioner of #Police, with the approval of the Minister, under section 13C of the Police Act has just announced #night CURFEW ORDER starting #tonight‼️ https://t.co/sEVI4nAsyc
— TwistOliver (@Oliver_Mhuriro) October 13, 2026
Source: Bloomberg