11 dead as Cyclone Chido devastates France’s Mayotte

French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged full support for the people of Mayotte, according to BBC reports, stating that France would “be there” during this crisis. Emergency teams, including 250 firefighters and security personnel, have been deployed to assist with rescue operations and prevent looting.

Impact on Mayotte

Mayotte, home to over 300,000 people, is among the poorest territories in the European Union.

Many residents live in precarious housing, which was completely destroyed in the cyclone. The island’s power, water, and internet services remain disrupted, with emergency supplies being flown in by military aircraft.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau described the cyclone as the worst in Mayotte since 1934, reported BBC, noting that makeshift homes were obliterated, leaving tens of thousands homeless. “The scale of the destruction is immense, and we fear a heavy death toll,” Retailleau said.

Other places impacted

After battering Mayotte, Cyclone Chido intensified over the Mozambique Channel and made landfall in northern Mozambique on Sunday, as per AP. The provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula, home to millions, are bracing for widespread flooding and damage.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that schools, homes, and health facilities in Mozambique had been partially or entirely destroyed. Communities now face weeks of isolation due to damaged infrastructure.

“Additional support is urgently needed to ensure continuity of basic services,” UNICEF stated.

Southern Malawi and Zimbabwe are also on high alert as Chido is expected to bring heavy rainfall and flooding in the coming days.

Concerns

Cyclone Chido is the latest in a series of severe storms that have struck the southeastern Indian Ocean in recent years, aggravated by climate change. Poorer countries like Mozambique and Malawi, which contribute minimally to global emissions, are disproportionately affected.

As the region grapples with the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, AP reports that humanitarian agencies warn of a growing risk of cholera, dengue, and malaria outbreaks in stagnant water left by the storm.

(With inputs from BBC, AP)

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