Cyclone Chido Devastates Mayotte: Hundreds Feared Dead, French Aid Arrives

The French overseas territory of Mayotte is reeling from the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido, the most powerful storm to hit the region in nearly a century. With winds exceeding 200 km/h, the cyclone has left hundreds, possibly thousands, dead, according to the island’s prefect, François-Xavier Bieuville. The cyclone has caused widespread destruction, flattening makeshift houses, flooding hospital corridors, and uprooting coconut trees, leaving residents comparing the aftermath to a “nuclear apocalypse.”

French authorities have mobilized emergency aid, with the first intervention planes arriving to transport relief supplies and equipment. Nicolas Daragon, France’s minister for everyday security, emphasized the government’s full support for the affected population. An air bridge has been established between Mayotte and Reunion Island to facilitate the movement of military rations, generators, and emergency shelter capable of accommodating hundreds of people, said Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu.

The scale of destruction highlights Mayotte’s vulnerability as one of France’s poorest territories, grappling with longstanding issues like social unrest and gang violence. Once part of the Comoros archipelago, Mayotte opted to remain under French control during a 1974 independence referendum. Now, nearly 8,000 km from Paris, the island faces a humanitarian crisis compounded by its history of economic disparity and reliance on French aid.

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