- Cyclone devastated Mayotte as hundreds feared dead
- Cyclone flattened settlements, downed power lines and blocked roads
- Rescue teams working to locate survivors amid food, water and shelter shortages
Cyclone devastated Mayotte as hundreds feared dead
Cyclone Chido has wreaked havoc on Mayotte, a French Indian Ocean territory, with wind speeds exceeding 225 km/h (140 mph), flattening settlements and leaving hundreds feared dead. Rescue teams, including reinforcements from France, are working tirelessly to locate survivors amid widespread destruction and severe shortages of food, water, and shelter.
🧵 I wonder if the catastrophic situation in Mayotte will get more attention than drones that aren't drones. Where's the hysteria about this. Where's MSM 🤬
Cyclone Chido has devastated Mayotte, a small island in the Indian ocean with gusts of at least 226 kilometres per hour… pic.twitter.com/Mk65WPGCte— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) December 15, 2024
Mayotte’s most vulnerable communities, including undocumented migrants living in makeshift homes, have been hardest hit. The island’s already fragile infrastructure—plagued by poverty and unemployment—has been severely damaged, with downed power lines and blocked roads hampering rescue efforts.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with the island’s 320,000 residents, while local officials warn the death toll could rise significantly as assessments continue.
Cyclone Chido also struck Mozambique, causing flash floods and extensive damage in the northern provinces of Nampula and Cabo Delgado.
Relief efforts are underway in both regions as authorities grapple with the scale of the devastation.
Other sources
- Close to 1,000 feared dead after Cyclone Chido hits Mayotte
- French military aid starts to arrive in cyclone-battered Mayotte
