CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The aftermath of Cyclone Chido has left the French territory of Mayotte grappling with a staggering death toll, which could be “several hundred” or even thousands, as stated by the island’s leading government official during a local broadcast on Sunday.
In response to the devastation, France has swiftly deployed rescue teams and essential supplies to its impoverished overseas department in the Indian Ocean, which has experienced extensive damage.
Mayotte Prefect François-Xavier Bieuville shared his grim assessment with TV station Mayotte la 1ere, indicating that the current count of fatalities is likely to escalate, potentially nearing a thousand or more due to the cyclone’s ferocity. He remarked, “I think there are several hundred dead, and we may well reach the thousands… considering the severity of this event.”
Bieuville previously characterized this as the most severe cyclone to strike Mayotte in nine decades.
He noted the challenges in accurately assessing the number of casualties and injuries after the island was battered by the violent storm on Saturday, which resulted in significant damage to infrastructure, including the airport, while entire neighborhoods were devastated and electricity was disrupted.
Earlier on Sunday, the French Interior Ministry confirmed at least 11 fatalities and over 250 injuries, cautioning that these figures are expected to rise dramatically.
Mayotte, located in the southwestern Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa, is recognized as France’s most impoverished island and the least affluent territory within the European Union, hosting a population of around 300,000 distributed across two main islands.
Bieuville described the most severe destruction in the slum areas composed of makeshift metal shacks and informal dwellings prevalent throughout Mayotte. He expressed skepticism about the official death toll, stating, “This figure is not plausible when you see the images of the slums.”
“I believe the human toll is much higher,” he remarked.
Mayotte bore the brunt of Cyclone Chido
Cyclone Chido swept through the southwestern Indian Ocean on Friday and Saturday, also impacting nearby islands of Comoros and Madagascar. However, Mayotte faced the cyclone’s full force, with winds exceeding 220 kph (136 mph), as reported by the French meteorological service, classifying it as a category 4 cyclone, the second most powerful on the scale.
Chido later made landfall in Mozambique, raising concerns for more than 2 million people in the northern regions, according to local authorities.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his solidarity with the people of Mayotte, while Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau is scheduled to visit the island on Monday. Following an emergency meeting in Paris, Retailleau acknowledged the likelihood of a high death toll, and newly appointed Prime Minister François Bayrou, who assumed office on Friday, noted extensive damage to infrastructure across Mayotte.
Pope Francis also extended his prayers for the victims during a visit to the French Mediterranean island of Corsica on Sunday.
France plans to establish an air and sea bridge to Mayotte
Rescue and firefighting teams have been dispatched from France and the nearby French territory of Reunion, with supplies being transported via military aircraft and vessels. Damage to the airport’s control tower has restricted flights to military operations only.
Patrice Latron, the prefect of Reunion, announced plans to create an air and sea bridge connecting Reunion to Mayotte. An additional 800 rescue personnel are expected to arrive in the coming days, with over 80 tons of supplies already delivered or en route by ship. Latron highlighted the urgent need to restore electricity and access to clean drinking water.
The French Interior Ministry reported the deployment of 1,600 police and gendarmerie officers to assist the local population and deter potential looting.
In some areas of Mayotte, entire blocks of metal structures and huts have been leveled, with residents reporting uprooted trees, overturned boats, and widespread power outages.
Chad Youyou, a resident of Hamjago in northern Mayotte, shared videos on Facebook depicting the extensive destruction in his village and surrounding landscapes, where virtually every tree had been uprooted.
“Mayotte is devastated… we are annihilated,” he lamented.
Cyclone’s impact extends to northern Mozambique
Chido continued its path towards northern Mozambique, inflicting further destruction, while landlocked Malawi and Zimbabwe warned of possible evacuations due to impending flooding.
In Mozambique, UNICEF reported that Cabo Delgado province, which houses around 2 million residents, was the first area to be hit, with numerous homes, schools, and health facilities either partially or totally destroyed.
UNICEF Mozambique spokesperson Guy Taylor highlighted the risk of communities being isolated from educational and health services for weeks, as authorities warned of an increased likelihood of landslides.
The cyclone season spans from December to March in the southwestern Indian Ocean, and southern Africa has been battered by a series of powerful storms in recent years. Cyclone Idai in 2019 claimed over 1,300 lives, predominantly in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, while Cyclone Freddy resulted in more than 1,000 fatalities across several countries last year.
These cyclones pose risks of flooding and landslides, and stagnant water left in their wake can lead to deadly outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera, as well as dengue fever and malaria.
Studies indicate that the intensity of cyclones is increasing due to climate change, placing a heavy burden on poor nations in Africa that contribute minimally to global warming, highlighting the urgent need for assistance from wealthier countries to cope with the consequences of climate change.
—Corbet reported from Paris.
