Cyclone Chido kills hundreds if not thousands in the French archipelago of Mayotte
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Cyclone Chido kills hundreds if not thousands in the French archipelago of Mayotte

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

At least 11 people have died in Mayotte after Cyclone Chido hit the island nation on Saturday. The storm hit the island with winds of 140 miles per hour.

The most catastrophic cyclone to hit the French Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte in 90 years may have claimed hundreds of lives.

According to Reuters, Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville, a senior local French official, said on Sunday: “I think it will certainly be several hundred, maybe we will reach a thousand, even several thousand.”

The French Interior Ministry said the storm killed at least 11 people, Reuters reported.

Cyclone Chido hit Mayotte on Saturday, Meteo-France said. Mayotte’s civil service confirmed that this was the most dangerous cyclone to hit the island since 1934. The country was placed on a cyclone red alert, signaling imminent danger.

A purple alert was also issued during the peak of the storm, locking down the entire population including all emergency services, the agency said.

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The French General Directorate for Civil Security and Crisis Management shared in a post

The managing authority said additional reinforcements will arrive in the coming days to provide aid and assistance to those affected by the disaster. And up to 800 civil security personnel are expected to be deployed to Mayotte to help.

Photos from Mayotte show rescue workers and medical staff arriving on the island to help with recovery.

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  • A photo taken on December 15, 2024 shows a pile of debris made of metal sheets and wood after Cyclone Chido hit the French territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean.

    A photo taken on December 15, 2024 shows a pile of debris made of metal sheets and wood after Cyclone Chido hit the French territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean. At least 14 people died in Mayotte as a violent cyclone devastated French Indian Ocean territory, authorities said on December 15, 2024. Officials warned that it would be days before the exact number was known.
    (KWEZI/AFP)

  • A photo taken on December 15, 2024 shows residents sitting on a road among piles of rubble made of metal sheets and wood after Cyclone Chido hit the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte.

    A photo taken on December 15, 2024 shows residents sitting on a road among piles of rubble made of metal sheets and wood after Cyclone Chido hit the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte.
    (KWEZI/AFP)

  • A photo taken on December 15, 2024 shows a pile of debris made up of metal sheets, wood, furniture and belongings after Cyclone Chido hit the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte.

    A photo taken on December 15, 2024 shows a pile of debris made up of metal sheets, wood, furniture and belongings after Cyclone Chido hit the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte.
    (KWEZI/AFP)

  • The French military aircraft A440M, carrying members of the French civil protection agency and French firefighters as well as medical and emergency equipment, lands on the tarmac as part of an emergency response to bring help to the small French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, which is almost cut off from the world after the passage of Cyclone Chido at the French air base 181 Saint-Denis-La Reunion "Lieutenant Roland Garros" in Sainte-Marie, on the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean, on December 15, 2024.

    The French military aircraft A440M, carrying members of the French civil protection agency and French firefighters as well as medical and emergency equipment, lands on the tarmac as part of an emergency response to bring help to the small French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, which is almost cut off from the world after the passage of Cyclone Chido, at the French air base 181 Saint-Denis-La Reunion “Lieutenant Roland Garros” in Sainte-Marie, on the French island of La in India Ocean reunion, December 15, 2024.
    (Richard BOUHET / AFP))

  • The French military unloads medical and emergency equipment from the A440M military aircraft carrying emergency rescue teams to bring aid to the small French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, which was almost cut off from the world after the passage of Cyclone Chido. at the French air base 181 Saint-Denis-La Reunion "Lieutenant Roland Garros" in Sainte-Marie, on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion, on December 15, 2024. At least 14 people died in Mayotte as a violent cyclone devastated the area, authorities said. Officials warned it would take days to figure out the full toll. Rescue workers and supplies are being brought in by air and sea, but their efforts are likely to be hampered by damage to airports and power distribution in an area where even clean drinking water was already chronically scarce.

    The French military unloads medical and emergency equipment from the A440M military aircraft carrying emergency rescue teams to bring aid to the small French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, which was almost cut off from the world after the passage of Cyclone Chido. on December 15 at the French air base 181 Saint-Denis-La Reunion “Lieutenant Roland Garros” in Sainte-Marie on the French island of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean. 2024. At least 14 people died in Mayotte as a violent cyclone devastated the area, authorities said. Officials warned that it would be days before the exact number was known. Rescue workers and supplies are being brought in by air and sea, but their efforts are likely to be hampered by damage to airports and power distribution in an area where even clean drinking water was already chronically scarce.
    (RICHARD BOUHET/AFP)

  • Members of the French Civil Protection and French firefighters walk across the tarmac after landing on board the A440M military aircraft. This is part of an emergency response to bring help to the small French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, which was almost cut off from the world after the passage of Cyclone Chido at the French air base 181 Saint-Denis-La Reunion "Lieutenant Roland Garros" in Sainte-Marie, on the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean, on December 15, 2024.

    Members of the French Civil Protection and French firefighters walk across the tarmac after landing on board the A440M military aircraft. This is part of an emergency response to bring help to the small French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, which was almost cut off from the world after the passage of Cyclone Chido at the French air base 181 Saint-Denis-La Reunion “Lieutenant Roland Garros” in Sainte-Marie on the French island of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean in December 15, 2024.
    (Richard BOUHET / AFP))

  • A photo taken on December 15, 2024 shows a pile of debris made up of metal sheets, wood, furniture and belongings after Cyclone Chido hit the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte.

    A photo taken on December 15, 2024 shows a pile of debris made up of metal sheets, wood, furniture and belongings after Cyclone Chido hit the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte. At least 14 people died in Mayotte as a violent cyclone devastated French Indian Ocean territory, authorities said on December 15, 2024. Officials warned that it would be days before the exact number was known.
    (KWEZI/AFP)

  • A photo taken on December 15, 2024 shows torn off roofs of residential buildings after Cyclone Chido hit the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte.

    A photo taken on December 15, 2024 shows torn off roofs of residential buildings after Cyclone Chido hit the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte.
    (KWEZI/AFP)

  • This photo shows a destroyed building after Cyclone Chido hit the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte in the capital Mamoudzou on December 14, 2024.

    This photo shows a destroyed building after Cyclone Chido hit the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte in the capital Mamoudzou on December 14, 2024. At least 14 people died in Mayotte as a violent cyclone devastated French Indian Ocean territory, authorities said on December 15, 2024. Officials warned that it would be days before the exact number was known.
    (DANIEL MOUHAMADI/AFP)

Additional photos show the complete destruction of homes and businesses, with rubble from buildings scattered across the island.

Large slabs of twisted metal from the roofs lie scattered on the ground.

Meteo-France told Reuters that Cyclone Chido damaged temporary shelters, government buildings and a hospital.

The storm hit the French archipelago with winds of about 140 miles per hour, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale used by the National Hurricane Center.

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