Paris: The French Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte has been devastated by Cyclone Chido, the strongest storm to hit the region in nearly a century. A senior French official, Francois-Xavier Bieuville, suggested the death toll could be staggering.
“I think there will certainly be several hundreds, maybe we will reach a thousand, even several thousands,” Bieuville, the prefect of Mayotte, told local media outlet Mayotte La 1ere.
The French interior ministry has not provided an official death toll, emphasizing the challenges of accounting for victims in the aftermath. “It will be difficult to account for all victims,” a ministry spokesperson stated.
Several hundred people, maybe even thousands, may have been killed by Cyclone Chido in the French archipelago of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, a senior local official said https://t.co/DPLjzKILCS pic.twitter.com/ItbybHNLB3
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 15, 2024
Cyclone Chido’s Impact
Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte overnight with winds exceeding 200 kph (124 mph), according to Meteo-France. The storm inflicted extensive damage, destroying homes, government buildings, and a hospital. Meteo-France confirmed it as the most powerful storm to hit the archipelago in over 90 years.
“Honestly, what we are experiencing is a tragedy, you feel like you are in the aftermath of a nuclear war… I saw an entire neighborhood disappear,” said Mohamed Ishmael, a resident of Mamoudzou, Mayotte’s capital, in a phone interview with Reuters.
Aerial footage released by the French gendarmerie revealed widespread destruction, with makeshift homes obliterated and debris scattered across the islands. Local media captured harrowing images, including a mother pushing her newborn’s crib through a flooded hospital corridor. Capsized police boats and fallen coconut trees punctuated the scenes of devastation.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with the people of Mayotte, saying, “My thoughts are with our compatriots in Mayotte, who have gone through the most horrific few hours, and who have, for some, lost everything, lost their lives.”
Vulnerable Population at Risk
Mayotte, a French overseas department, has long struggled with social and economic challenges. Over 100,000 undocumented migrants, primarily from the nearby Comoros Islands, live on the archipelago, seeking better living conditions and access to French welfare services.
More than three-quarters of Mayotte’s population lives below the French poverty line, exacerbating the cyclone’s impact. Concerns over food, water, and sanitation have grown in the wake of the disaster. The interior ministry noted the difficulty of accurately determining the death toll, given local burial customs requiring interment within 24 hours.
The cyclone further complicates an already tense situation on the island, which has faced gang violence, social unrest, and a severe water shortage earlier this year.
Government Response and Broader Impact
In response, the French government announced the establishment of an air bridge from Réunion Island, another French overseas territory, to deliver aid. The cyclone also caused damage in northern Mozambique, disrupting power and telecommunications infrastructure, according to NetBlocks.
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In neighboring Comoros, the impact was less severe but still notable. Authorities reported two injuries, 24 displacements, and 21 homes destroyed.
The disaster marks the first major challenge for France’s newly appointed Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, who assumed office just days ago after the collapse of the previous government.
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Historical Context
Mayotte has a complex colonial history. France colonized the archipelago in 1843 and formally annexed it in 1904. While most of the Comoros Islands declared independence in 1975, Mayotte opted to remain French in a 1974 referendum, despite tensions in the broader region.
