The death toll from Cyclone Chido, which struck France’s Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte over the weekend, is expected to be in the hundreds or maybe even the thousands, the BBC reported.
The cyclone caused widespread devastation as it made landfall on Saturday, with wind speeds in excess of 225 km/h (140 mph) that flattened entire communities. While the current reported death toll is 11, the island’s prefect, Francois-Xavier Bieuville, told local media that it will “definitely be several hundred” once the full extent of the damage is assessed. He suggested the death toll could even reach “a few thousand.”
France’s President Emmanuel Macron said that France will support the people of Mayotte, and dispatched 250 rescue workers to assist in recovery efforts.
The cyclone’s aftermath has left homes destroyed and debris scattered across hillsides. France’s Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau stated that “all makeshift homes have been completely destroyed” and he is concerned about a “heavy” death toll.
As of Saturday, local news outlets had reported 11 deaths and 246 injuries, citing hospital records, while AFP reported at least 14 people dead based on a security source.
Mayotte, an archipelago located northwest of Madagascar, is home to around 300,000 people, most of whom live in informal housing with sheet metal roofs. Tens of thousands have lost their homes. The island’s infrastructure has been severely affected, with power, water, and internet services down. In response, the French government has sent a military transport plane with supplies and emergency personnel.
Pamandzi airport, the main gateway to Mayotte, sustained significant damage, particularly to its control tower. France’s Acting Transport Minister Francois Durovray said that “air traffic would initially be restored using military aircraft, while ships are en route to deliver supplies.”
Before the cyclone made landfall on Saturday morning, reports indicated that trees had been uprooted, roofs torn off, and power lines had been downed. Abdoul Karim Ahmed Allaoui, head of Mayotte’s firefighters’ union, said emergency responders had been “unable to reach many affected areas due to lack of mobile phone service and communications.” He also observed that even earthquake-resistant buildings had not withstood the cyclone’s force, and that the emergency services command center had been evacuated, and was operating only at limited capacity.”
In a statement on social media, Minister Retailleau noted that both state and local emergency services have been fully mobilized. He also said 110 civil security personnel and firefighters had been deployed, and an additional 140 are expected to be sent in the coming days.
France’s Prime Minister François Bayrou, who took office on Friday, said the cyclone was “exceptionally severe” and that he is receiving hourly updates on the situation. He has convened an emergency meeting in Paris with key ministers.
Mayotte was initially placed under a purple alert, the highest level, and a “strict lockdown” was imposed on the population, including emergency services. The alert has since been downgraded to red, allowing emergency responders to leave their bases. Retailleau remarked that Mayotte had not experienced such severe weather since 1934.
After creating mayhem in Mayotte, the cyclone strengthened as it moved across the Mozambique Channel. Heavy rains and wind gusts reaching 185 km/h (115 mph) also swept through the coastal city of Pemba in Mozambique. Videos on social media showed flooding, uprooted trees, and damaged homes in Pemba.