French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that he will visit the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte “in the coming days,” where reports indicate that hundreds are feared dead following Cyclone Chido’s passage.
Emergency services are actively searching for survivors and working to restore vital services in Mayotte, which is known as France’s poorest overseas territory. The cyclone is being described as the worst to impact the Indian Ocean islands in nearly a century, with estimates suggesting that hundreds or even thousands may have perished.
In response to this catastrophe, President Macron took to X to express, “In the face of this tragedy, which has shaken each and every one of us, I will declare a national mourning,” following a government meeting focused on the crisis.
The cyclone hit with devastating force over the weekend, bringing winds exceeding 200 kph. It uprooted homes, disrupted communications, and left many without power and clean drinking water.
Residents lined up outside grocery stores hoping to find water and other essential supplies.
“It truly looks like a war zone. I can’t recognize anything anymore. There isn’t even a single tree left; the hills have been stripped bare, it’s quite extraordinary,” shared Mayotte resident Camille Cozon Abdourazak.
“I managed to find a shop that was open and selling water. They had a few tins of milk available, so I was able to purchase one for my baby and one for my neighbor’s baby,” she added.
A pile of debris consisting of metal sheets and wood in Mamoudzou, Mayotte, after Cyclone Chido.
Teacher Hamada Ali reported that streets were covered with mud and fallen trees. He noted that people were seeking shelter in schools and using bottled water for cooking.
“Houses with sheet metal roofs were stripped away by the cyclone,” he mentioned.
Many areas in the territory are experiencing communication outages, causing family members outside to desperately seek news via social media.
President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting regarding the situation in Mayotte.
Acting Health Minister Genevieve Darrieussecq indicated that Mamoudzou’s main hospital was still operational despite floodwaters damaging surgical and intensive care units. Additionally, a mobile clinic is expected to be established, with 100 extra medical personnel being deployed.
Over three-quarters of Mayotte’s population of 321,000 lives in relative poverty.
According to 2021 statistics from INSEE, Mayotte has an annual median disposable income of just over 3,000 euros per person, which is roughly eight times lower than that of the Ile-de-France region surrounding Paris.
The islands, located near the Comoros archipelago, came under French control in 1841.
Mayotte comprises two principal islands and has struggled with unrest in recent years, as residents express frustration regarding undocumented immigration and inflation.
The territory also exhibits strong support for the far-right National Rally, with 60% of the votes going to Marine Le Pen in the 2022 presidential election runoff.
Biggest storm in more than 90 years
Cyclone Chido was confirmed as the strongest storm to hit Mayotte in over 90 years, according to the French weather service Meteo France.
Extreme weather events are increasingly prevalent globally, correlating with the effects of climate change.
Developing nations often argue they are disproportionately affected by the environmental crisis, despite having historically emitted significantly less CO2 than wealthier nations.
“It was clear that when a cyclone struck…we would encounter such a situation,” stated left-wing lawmaker Eric Coquerel during an interview with French broadcaster LCI, highlighting that the destruction in Mayotte showcased a failure to adequately prepare for climate change’s impact.
Images from local media and the French gendarmerie revealed widespread destruction, with hundreds of makeshift homes reduced to rubble and coconut trees crashed through building roofs. Boats were overturned, and residents took cover under tables as the cyclone surged through.
French military personnel are seen unloading medical and emergency supplies for cyclone-affected residents.
Following its impact on Mayotte, Cyclone Chido made landfall in northern Mozambique, where it promptly weakened into a tropical storm, though still caused damage to several homes.
The prefect of Mayotte, Francois-Xavier Bieuville, stated over the weekend that confirmed fatalities would be in the hundreds, with possibilities of several thousand.
Authorities reported that maritime and aerial operations are in progress to transport relief supplies and equipment from Reunion Island, another French overseas territory.
However, Mayotte’s main airport remains closed to civilian flights, according to Jean-Paul Bosland, president of France’s national firefighters’ federation.
International community pledges support
Global pledges of assistance for Mayotte have been made, including support from the regional Red Cross organization PIROI.
European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen expressed that the bloc is “ready to provide support in the days to come.”
The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, noted that the organization “stands ready to assist communities in need of essential healthcare.”
Determining the full impact of the cyclone on the population has proven challenging.
Ousseni Balahachi, a former nurse, mentioned that some individuals are hesitant to seek help, fearing it might be a ruse to remove them from Mayotte.
Many residents, she noted, stayed put “until the last minute,” which left them with no time to escape the cyclone when the situation became critical.
The UN humanitarian agency, OCHA, cautioned that 1.7 million individuals are at risk, and remnants of the cyclone could bring “significant rainfall” to Malawi as well.
Zimbabwe and Zambia are also anticipated to experience heavy rains, according to the agency’s warning.
