CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Cyclone Chido has caused catastrophic destruction in the French territory of Mayotte, leaving at least 11 people dead and hundreds injured, France’s Interior Ministry reported on Sunday. The intense tropical cyclone, which tore through the southeastern Indian Ocean, is now wreaking havoc on mainland Africa, raising fears of further devastation in northern Mozambique.
Authorities in Mayotte are struggling to provide an accurate tally of casualties, as the situation remains chaotic. A local hospital reported nine patients in critical condition and 246 others injured. Officials fear the death toll may rise in the coming days.
Mayotte, a French territory with over 300,000 residents, bore the brunt of the cyclone on Saturday, suffering what officials described as the worst storm to hit the islands in 90 years. Entire neighborhoods were flattened, countless trees uprooted, and boats destroyed or sunk. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau expressed grave concern, warning that the island’s devastation is extensive. Prime Minister François Bayrou, who assumed office just days ago, confirmed that critical infrastructure, including Mayotte’s main hospital and airport, had been severely damaged or destroyed. Vulnerable communities living in precarious conditions face particularly dire risks.
Cyclone Chido packed winds exceeding 220 kilometers per hour (136 mph), classifying it as a category 4 storm—the second strongest on the scale, according to the French weather service. This level of intensity has compounded the already fragile state of Mayotte, the European Union’s poorest territory.
France has deployed significant resources to aid the stricken region. Over 1,600 police and gendarmerie officers have been sent to maintain order and assist with recovery efforts, while more than 100 rescuers and firefighters from France and the nearby territory of Reunion are on the ground. Additional reinforcements of 140 personnel were scheduled to arrive on Sunday, alongside emergency supplies delivered by military aircraft and ships. President Emmanuel Macron has pledged close monitoring of the crisis, while Pope Francis offered prayers for the victims during a visit to Corsica.
Cyclone Chido’s impact extends far beyond Mayotte. The storm made landfall early Sunday in Mozambique, where emergency officials have warned that 2.5 million people could be affected across the northern provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula. Neighboring countries, including Malawi and Zimbabwe, are also bracing for potential flooding and landslides, with evacuations underway in some low-lying areas.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported severe damage in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, home to approximately 2 million people. Schools, health facilities, and homes have been partially or completely destroyed, disrupting essential services. “While we are doing everything we can, additional support is urgently needed,” UNICEF said. The organization’s spokesperson in Mozambique, Guy Taylor, emphasized the long-term consequences for affected communities, which may remain cut off from vital services for weeks.
Cyclone season in the southeastern Indian Ocean typically spans December to March, and the region has seen a series of increasingly destructive storms in recent years. Cyclone Idai in 2019 killed more than 1,300 people in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, while Cyclone Freddy left over 1,000 dead in 2023. Experts attribute the growing intensity of these storms to climate change, which disproportionately affects poorer countries with limited resources to respond to such crises. The devastation underscores the urgent need for greater international support to address the impacts of global warming on vulnerable regions.
In addition to immediate risks such as flooding and landslides, cyclones bring the threat of waterborne diseases like cholera, dengue fever, and malaria, as stagnant water creates breeding grounds for infections. Aid agencies are working to mitigate these risks while addressing the humanitarian crisis left in Chido’s wake.
