Roofing in Mauritius

Mauritius is a volcanic island in the south-west Indian Ocean whose roofs have been shaped above all by tropical cyclones. Before 1960 most houses had thatched or corrugated iron roofs on timber frames; after two cyclones in 1960 destroyed nearly two-fifths of the housing stock, the island turned decisively to concrete.

Climate and hazards

Tropical cyclones generally occur between January and March, typically disrupting weather for about three days with heavy rain. Annual rainfall ranges from about 900 mm (35 in) on the coast to 1,500 mm (59 in) on the central plateau. Climate projections point to stronger cyclones.

Roofing history

Under the French governor Mahe de La Bourdonnais in the 18th century, numerous public buildings were erected, including part of Government House, the Chateau de Mon Plaisir and the Line Barracks. In 1955 the government built 1,000 workers' houses (Cite Ouvriere) in Port Louis suburbs, Quatre Bornes, Beau Bassin-Rose Hill and Curepipe.

In 1960 cyclones Alix and Carol destroyed nearly 40% of the housing stock. Most of the houses lost had thatched or corrugated iron roofs on timber frames, which could not resist high winds. The Central Housing Authority (CHA), set up in 1960, rehoused victims using prefabricated houses of asbestos panels with corrugated iron roofs on steel bracing, and houses with in-situ concrete walls and roofs. About 14,000 houses were built in 1961-1970. Cyclones in 1975 destroyed some 13,000 more houses, and Cyclone Claudette damaged 2,500 in 1979. Over 60 years the state contributed to about 92,250 houses, roughly 27% of the stock.

Traditional and vernacular roofs

• Thatched and iron-roofed timber houses: the common pre-1960 house type.
• Creole houses: timber houses of the colonial period.

Roofing today

The 2011 Housing Census asked for the principal roof material under four headings: concrete slab, iron or tin sheets, shingles, and other. In the Continuous Multi-Purpose Household Survey 2017 file, over 93% of households with a recorded roof fall in the first code, but category labels are not published on the microdata page, so national shares are not given.

Local roofing terms

• Cite (French): state housing estate.

Sources and gaps

Detailed descriptions of Mauritian Creole house roofs: published information is limited. No national roofing standard was identified. No information on domestic roofing manufacturers was found in published sources. No roof-specific heritage descriptions were found.

Labelled census shares, details of Creole house roofs (for example shingles and steep hipped forms), sugar-estate houses and cyclone-shutter practice: published information is limited.