Up to 1,000 people in the French territory of Mayotte are feared dead following the devastating impact of Cyclone Chido, according to the island’s top official.
Mayotte, a remote island in the Indian Ocean, is among several territories affected by the tropical cyclone, which has caused widespread destruction to local infrastructure and left “several hundred” potentially dead.
Speaking to local media, Mayotte Prefect François-Xavier Bieuville stated, “I think there are several hundred dead, perhaps nearing a thousand, or even more, given the violence of this event.”
He explained that assessing the full extent of the tragedy remains “extremely difficult” due to the near-total collapse of communication systems on the island.
So far, 11 fatalities have been confirmed, with nine individuals critically injured. A hospital in Mayotte has reported treating 246 injured persons, with fears that the death toll could rise significantly in the coming days.
The cyclone, which swept through the southeastern Indian Ocean, also affected the neighbouring islands of Comoros and Madagascar. However, Mayotte, directly in the cyclone’s path, suffered the worst damage on Saturday, 14 December. Officials have described it as the most severe cyclone to strike Mayotte in 90 years.
The French government has deployed 1,600 police and gendarmerie officers to assist residents and prevent potential looting. France’s newly appointed Prime Minister, François Bayrou, who took office on Friday, 13 December, confirmed that public infrastructure, including the island’s main hospital and airport, had been severely damaged or destroyed.
Cyclone Chido brought winds exceeding 136 mph, according to the French weather service. The storm ripped metal roofs off homes, flattened entire neighbourhoods, and destroyed small structures. Boats were overturned or sunk, and numerous trees were uprooted across the island, which has a population of just over 300,000 spread across two main islands, located approximately 500 miles off Africa’s eastern coast.
The prefect described the situation as catastrophic, with efforts ongoing to provide emergency relief and restore a semblance of normalcy to the island.
