France Sends Emergency Aid to Mayotte as Cyclone Chido Leaves Hundreds Feared Dead

France deployed ships and military aircraft on Monday to deliver rescuers and supplies to Mayotte after Cyclone Chido devastated the island territory, marking its worst cyclone in nearly a century. Authorities fear the death toll could reach hundreds or even thousands.

Survivors wandered streets strewn with debris, searching for water and shelter after the cyclone flattened entire neighborhoods on Saturday. Mayotte, the poorest territory of France and the European Union, has been left in ruins.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to visit the island in the coming days and said he would declare a national mourning period in light of “this tragedy that has shaken each of us.”

In Mamoudzou, Mayotte’s capital, destruction was widespread, with schools, hospitals, restaurants, and offices severely damaged. Roofs were torn from homes, and palm trees were splintered by winds exceeding 220 kph (136 mph), according to the French weather service.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau stated, “Mayotte is devastated,” estimating that 70% of the population was gravely affected. By Monday evening, the ministry confirmed 21 deaths at hospitals and 45 people in critical condition, though French Health Minister Geneviève Darrieussecq warned these figures likely underestimate the true scale of the disaster.

Electricity was down across most of the archipelago, with only the capital retaining power. Telecommunications were disrupted, and many areas remained inaccessible due to damage, including Mayotte’s sole airport. The French Red Cross described the devastation as “unimaginable” and said rescuers were still searching for bodies. Concerns also grew over a shortage of drinking water.

Warnings about the cyclone had gone unheeded by many residents, with some underestimating its strength. Mayotte resident Fahar Abdoulhamidi recounted how many who lived in informal settlements, known as bangas, stayed behind to protect their homes from looters. Others, particularly migrants, avoided shelters for fear of deportation.

Mayotte, a densely populated archipelago of over 320,000 people, also hosts an estimated 100,000 migrants from as far away as Somalia. The cyclone’s aftermath has left hunger rising, with urgent calls for aid. Mayotte Senator Salama Ramia emphasised the dire need for food and water, particularly for children and infants.

Cyclone Chido, classified as a category 4 storm, is the worst to strike Mayotte since the 1930s, according to Prefect François-Xavier Bieuville, the top French government official in the territory. Bieuville estimated the death toll to be in the hundreds, possibly thousands, but noted that the Muslim tradition of burying the dead within 24 hours could complicate record-keeping.

France and its nearby territory of Reunion have sent rescue teams and supplies, with daily airlifts delivering 20 tons of food and water. Additional personnel, including 1,500 security and engineering staff, are being deployed to assist with infrastructure repair and prevent looting.

Authorities announced that Mayotte’s main airport would remain closed until at least Thursday due to extensive damage, while the island’s main hospital has suffered severe water damage in critical departments, prompting plans for a field hospital.

Mayotte has long faced criticism for underinvestment and neglect from the French government, with three-quarters of its population living in poverty and a median income far below that of metropolitan France.

Political unrest and dissatisfaction with the territory’s status have led to growing support for the far-right National Rally party and last year, French forces intervened to quell protests following a drought-induced water crisis.

After leaving Mayotte, Cyclone Chido struck Mozambique, killing three people, injuring 34, and destroying school infrastructure. It also killed two people in neighbouring Malawi.

Cyclone season in the southwestern Indian Ocean, which lasts from December to March, has seen increasingly deadly storms in recent years, including Cyclone Idai in 2019 and Cyclone Freddy in 2023, which left over 1,000 people dead.

The European Parliament observed a minute of silence for the victims, with President Roberta Metsola declaring, “Mayotte is Europe, and Europe will not abandon you.”

Faridah Abdulkadiri

Follow us on: