Storm Details: Cyclone Chido, a Category 4 storm, caused unprecedented devastation in Mayotte before making landfall in Mozambique’s Pemba region on December 15, 2024.
Casualties and Destruction: Authorities fear a death toll reaching hundreds, potentially thousands. The destruction has crippled infrastructure, left communities without shelter, and created a dire humanitarian crisis.
Worst storm: This is the worst storm to hit Mayotte since the 1930s, emphasizing the region’s vulnerability to extreme weather exacerbated by climate change.
About Mayotte:
French Overseas Department: Mayotte, part of the European Union through its French governance, faces stark poverty despite its association with a developed nation.
Economic Disparity: As the EU’s poorest territory, Mayotte struggles with high unemployment and inadequate infrastructure but remains a destination for migrants from Comoros, Somalia, and beyond, seeking better living standards under the French welfare system.
Geography: Located in the Indian Ocean, Mayotte is part of the Mozambique Channel and is surrounded by a coral reef. Its islands include Grande-Terre, Petite-Terre, and smaller islands like Mtsamboro and Mbouzi.
Cyclone’s Regional Impact
Neighboring Regions: Nearby Comoros, which gained independence from France in 1975, and other parts of the Indian Ocean, including Madagascar, are also vulnerable to cyclones and face similar challenges of poverty and weak infrastructure.
Mozambique: After devastating Mayotte, Cyclone Chido hit Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, an area already grappling with insurgency and displacement, compounding the humanitarian crisis.
France’s Response
Emergency Relief: France has rapidly dispatched military ships and aircraft to deliver aid and assist with rescue and recovery operations.
Long-Term Rebuilding: Beyond immediate relief, the crisis underscores the need for investment in resilient infrastructure and disaster preparedness in Mayotte to mitigate the impacts of future cyclones.
