MORONI, COMOROS — Officials reported on Saturday that the French territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean experienced significant damage from Tropical Cyclone Chido as it barreled toward Africa’s east coast.
The cyclone, with winds exceeding 220 kilometers per hour according to the French weather service, tore metal roofs off homes in Mayotte, which is home to just over 300,000 residents across two main islands. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of casualties.
“This is the most violent and destructive cyclone our island has faced since 1934. Many residents have lost everything,” Mayotte Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville stated in a Facebook post on Saturday. He noted that while the highest alert had been lifted, this was to facilitate rescue operations after the cyclone’s peak had passed.
Mayotte remains under a red alert for the general population, with residents urged to “stay confined in sturdy shelters,” Bieuville added. Only emergency and security personnel are permitted to venture outside.
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau expressed concern over the severe impact on Mayotte, noting, “The damage already seems extensive,” in a statement on X. He assured that both state and local emergency services are fully engaged in response efforts.
According to local broadcaster Mayotte la 1ere, thousands of homes have lost power, with tin huts and other small structures destroyed and numerous trees uprooted.
Retailleau reported that 110 rescuers and firefighters dispatched from France and the neighboring territory of Reunion have been deployed, with an additional 140 reinforcements set to arrive on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Comoros, a group of islands situated north of Mayotte, is also facing the wrath of Cyclone Chido, prompting authorities to issue the highest red alert in certain areas. Officials are particularly concerned about 11 fishermen who ventured out to sea on Monday and have not been heard from since.
Authorities in Comoros have instructed all ships to stay docked in harbors, while also closing the main airport and government offices. Schools were shut down on Friday to allow residents to prepare for the cyclone’s arrival.
Forecasters predict that Cyclone Chido will continue its eastward path, reaching Mozambique on the African mainland by late Saturday or early Sunday. Mozambique’s disaster agency has issued a warning that up to 2.5 million people could be impacted in the northern provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula.
Inland, Malawi and Zimbabwe are making preparations as well. Malawi’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs anticipates flooding in certain areas and has urged some residents to relocate to higher ground. Similarly, authorities in Zimbabwe have advised some communities to prepare for possible evacuation.
From December to March, the southeast Indian Ocean experiences its cyclone season, during which southern Africa has been struck by a series of intense storms in recent years.
In 2019, Cyclone Idai resulted in over 1,300 fatalities across Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. Last year, Cyclone Freddy claimed more than 1,000 lives across multiple countries.
These cyclones pose risks of flooding and landslides, and stagnant water can lead to deadly outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera, as seen after Idai, along with dengue fever and malaria.
Research indicates that these cyclones are intensifying due to climate change. This exacerbates humanitarian crises in poorer nations in southern Africa, which contribute minimally to climate change yet bear significant consequences.
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