MORONI, Comoros — Cyclone Chido has wreaked havoc on Mayotte, a French territory located in the Indian Ocean, resulting in severe destruction and loss of life, as reported by officials on Saturday. The cyclone is now approaching the eastern coast of Africa.
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced a “very provisional” initial count indicating that there have been “a few fatalities.” He refrained from providing specifics regarding the number of casualties or injuries due to the ongoing rescue efforts, which have yet to fully assess the situation on the ground. “We’re apprehensive that the toll will be significant, but I can’t disclose figures just yet,” Retailleau informed the media after an urgent meeting at the interior ministry in Paris. “The island appears to be in ruins.”
Chido generated winds exceeding 220 kilometers per hour (approximately 136 miles per hour), as per reports from the French weather service. The cyclone dismantled metal roofs from homes across Mayotte, which is home to just above 300,000 residents residing on two main islands, approximately 800 kilometers (497 miles) from Mozambique.
François Bayrou, the newly appointed Prime Minister of France, commented on the situation, stating that public infrastructure has faced extensive damage or destruction, impacting key facilities such as the prefecture, hospital, and airport. He noted that many individuals residing in unstable shanties in impoverished regions are confronting “very serious risks.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said he is keeping a close watch on the developments. “Our island is enduring the most violent and destructive cyclone since 1934. Many of us have lost everything,” remarked Mayotte prefect François-Xavier Bieuville in a Facebook post on Saturday. He mentioned that the highest alert level had been lifted to allow rescuers to assist residents once the cyclone’s peak had passed.
According to the French Interior Ministry, about 1,600 police and gendarmerie personnel have been dispatched to assist the affected population and prevent potential looting. Additionally, 110 rescue workers and firefighters have arrived from France and the nearby Reunion territory, with an additional contingent of 140 set to arrive on Sunday.
Mayotte, known as France’s poorest island, has historically grappled with challenges such as drought and inadequate funding. French Transport Minister François Durovray reported significant damage to the airport, particularly to the control tower, affecting infrastructure heavily. Air traffic will initially be restricted to military flights only, while ships are being employed to deliver essential supplies.
The region is still under a red alert status, with locals urged to stay indoors in sturdy shelters. Only emergency and security personnel are permitted to go outside. Local media, Mayotte la 1ere, reported widespread power outages affecting thousands of homes, with tin huts and smaller structures uprooted and many trees downed.
In neighboring Comoros, a collection of islands located north of Mayotte, the impact of Cyclone Chido has also been felt, prompting authorities to issue the highest alerts in certain areas. Concern remains for a group of 11 fishermen who went out to sea on Monday and have not returned.
Comoros officials have instructed all vessels to stay moored and have shut down the main airport and government offices. Schools were canceled on Friday to allow residents to prepare for the impending cyclone.
Forecasts indicate that Chido will follow an eastern path, impacting Mozambique later on Saturday or early Sunday. Mozambique’s disaster agency has raised alarms that approximately 2.5 million individuals could be affected in the northern provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula. Furthermore, landlocked countries such as Malawi and Zimbabwe are also bracing for impact. Malawi’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs has warned of potential flooding and advised residents in vulnerable areas to seek higher ground, while Zimbabwe has advised some groups to prepare for possible evacuations.
The cyclone season in the southeastern Indian Ocean typically spans from December to March, with southern Africa experiencing a series of powerful storms in recent years. The devastating Cyclone Idai in 2019 resulted in over 1,300 fatalities across Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. Last year, Cyclone Freddy claimed more than 1,000 lives across multiple nations.
With cyclones posing risks of flooding and landslides, stagnant water may later trigger deadly outbreaks of cholera, as witnessed after Idai, alongside other diseases such as dengue fever and malaria. Studies suggest that the intensity of these cyclones has increased due to climate change, inflicting significant humanitarian crises on poorer nations in southern Africa, which contribute minimally to climate change.
