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At Least 14 Killed as Cyclone Chido Devastates Mayotte


Cyclone Chido has claimed at least 14 lives in Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, with authorities warning that the full extent of the damage could take several days to assess.

The destructive storm battered the islands, leaving widespread devastation. Rescue efforts are underway, with supplies being rushed in by air and sea, but damage to airports and the power grid is hampering these efforts. The cyclone's impact is particularly severe in a territory that already faces chronic shortages of clean drinking water.

The provisional death toll, as reported by authorities, stands at 14, though officials caution that the final figure may be higher. Nine individuals are in critical condition, and 246 others have sustained serious injuries, according to Ambdilwahedou Soumaila, the mayor of Mayotte's capital, Mamoudzou. The local hospital, schools, and homes have been completely destroyed.

"The hospital is hit, the schools are hit. Houses are totally devastated," said Soumaila. "The hurricane spared nothing."

Cyclone Chido, with winds reaching at least 226 kilometers per hour, brought destruction to Mayotte's densely populated shantytowns, which house a third of the territory's 320,000 residents. The storm uprooted trees, toppled electricity poles, and tore off roofs and walls from makeshift homes.

Acting Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, following a crisis meeting in Paris, stated, "It will take several days to fully establish the death toll, but we fear it will be heavy." He added that the Muslim custom of burying the deceased within 24 hours could complicate efforts to accurately count the casualties.

The cyclone’s effects have left the population in shock and largely isolated, with limited access to water and electricity. Information from residents is slow to emerge, further delaying the recovery process.

One local resident, Ibrahim, described "apocalyptic scenes" as he navigated through the island, clearing blocked roads himself. "Even the largest companies have suffered damage," he added.

Scramble for Supplies
To support the recovery effort, Retailleau is scheduled to travel to Mayotte on Monday, accompanied by 160 soldiers and firefighters. They will join the 110 personnel already deployed from mainland France ahead of the storm. Medical teams and supplies are also being sent to the island by air and sea.

Pope Francis, during his visit to Corsica, urged people to pray for the residents of Mayotte.

Further Damage in Mozambique and Comoros
The cyclone also affected the nearby Comoros Islands, which, despite being on red alert, experienced only minor damage. After crossing Mayotte, Cyclone Chido made landfall in northern Mozambique early Sunday, near the city of Pemba, bringing gale-force winds and heavy rain. The storm’s full impact on Mozambique is still being assessed, with the city of Pemba being cut off from communications.

UNICEF has mobilized resources to assist affected communities, focusing on restoring essential services such as healthcare and education in areas where homes, schools, and health facilities have been destroyed.

A Global Storm Fuelled by Climate Change
Cyclone Chido is the latest in a series of extreme storms that experts say are linked to climate change. The cyclone’s intensity was amplified by unusually warm Indian Ocean waters. Meteorologist François Gourand of Météo France described it as an "exceptional" storm. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that around 1.7 million people in the region are at risk, with the cyclone’s remnants potentially bringing heavy rainfall and flash floods to neighboring Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

The storm is reminiscent of the deadly Cyclones Gombe in 2022 and Freddy in 2023, which claimed over 60 and 86 lives, respectively, in Mozambique.

 

 

 



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