Cyclone Chido has devastated the French external territory in the Indian Ocean, Mayotte, with a death toll believed to be in the hundreds, possibly rising into the thousands. Mayotte Prefect François-Xavier Bieuville described the cyclone as the worst in 90 years, saying the extent of destruction makes the current official death toll of 11 “not plausible.”
Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte on Saturday with winds surpassing 220 kph (136 mph), equivalent to a category 4 hurricane. The storm flattened entire neighbourhoods of metal shacks and informal settlements, disrupted power and water supplies, and severely damaged the island’s airport, limiting rescue operations to military flights.
France has deployed rescue teams, military personnel, and over 80 tonnes of emergency supplies from the nearby island of Reunion. Authorities aim to establish an air and sea bridge to fast-track relief efforts. French President Emmanuel Macron extended his condolences, while Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Prime Minister François Bayrou promised urgent governmental support.
As France’s poorest territory, housing over 300,000 residents, Mayotte bore the hardest hit due to its vulnerable infrastructure. Residents’ social media videos showed flattened homes, uprooted trees, and sunken boats, leaving entire communities without basic services amid growing concerns about food and water shortages.
The cyclone’s destructive path continued into Mozambique, where it loomed as a threat to over two million people in Cabo Delgado province. UNICEF reported widespread damage to homes, schools, and health facilities, along with potential landslide warnings and prolonged isolation of affected communities. Efforts to restore communication and transportation links in the area are currently underway, though progress is slow due to the large scale of destruction.
The cyclone’s stagnant water has created breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other disease-carrying insects, increasing the risk of secondary disasters such as cholera outbreaks, dengue fever, and malaria. Neighboring countries, including landlocked Malawi and Zimbabwe, have also issued flood alerts.
The broader region faces a grim cyclone season from December to March, a period when intense tropical storms frequently strike southern Africa. Cyclone Chido’s destruction emphasizes the vulnerability of regions affected by poverty to climate-induced natural disasters. Scientific studies have also linked the increasing intensity of cyclones in the Indian Ocean to climate change, resulting in calls for greater international support for disaster preparation and recovery efforts in affected countries.
The French government has also pledged long-term assistance, including the rebuilding of infrastructure and humanitarian aid provision. Meanwhile, rescue teams continue to search for survivors amid the wreckage, offering a glimmer of hope in the midst of an otherwise grim humanitarian crisis.
