France’s Mayotte region in the Indian Ocean has been hit by the worst cyclone to hit the islands in almost a century.
At least 11 people were reportedly killed when Cyclone Chido made landfall on Saturday, packing winds of more than 225 kilometers per hour. There were fears that the death toll could rise.
French President Emmanuel Macron said France would “be there” for the people of Mayotte, while French officials said 250 firefighters and security personnel would be sent to the islands, some of whom had already arrived.
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said “all makeshift houses have been completely destroyed” and feared a “heavy” death toll.
A local news source reported that 11 people were killed and 246 injured, based on a hospital report.
AFP reported a higher death toll – at least 14 – citing a security source.
Located northwest of Madagascar, Mayotte is an archipelago consisting of one main island, Grand-Terre, and several smaller ones.
Most of the island’s roughly 300,000 residents live in huts with sheet metal roofs, and tens of thousands of people have lost their homes.
Electricity, water and internet connections are all out. The government in Paris has sent a military transport plane with supplies and aid workers.
The area’s Pamandzi airport suffered “major damage, especially to the control tower,” acting French Transport Minister Francois Durovray wrote on X.
Air traffic “will initially be restored with military relief aircraft. Ships are on their way to ensure supplies,” he added.
Even before the cyclone hit with full force on Saturday morning, there were reports of trees being uprooted, roofs ripped off buildings and power lines downed.
The head of Mayotte’s firefighters’ union, Abdoul Karim Ahmed Allaoui, told news channel BFM on Saturday morning that “even emergency responders have been locked up.”
He continued: “There is no cell phone service and we cannot reach the people on the island. Even buildings built to earthquake standards have not held up.
“The emergency services command center has been evacuated and is operating at partial capacity.”
Minister of the Interior Retailleau wrote in a statement about X: “I offer my full support to the people of Mayotte. State and local emergency services have been fully mobilized. 110 civilian security personnel and firefighters have already been dispatched and are on the spot. A second deployment will be made tomorrow with 140 additional personnel.”
French Prime Minister François Bayrou, who took up the post on Friday, said the cyclone was of “exceptional severity” and that he was being kept informed of the situation “hour by hour”. He held an emergency meeting with ministers in Paris.
Mayotte was initially placed on a purple alert – the highest level – and a “strict lockdown for the entire population, including emergency services” was imposed. It has since been downgraded to red to allow emergency services to leave their bases.
Retailleau said the island has not experienced such severe weather since 1934.
After hitting Mayotte, the storm intensified overnight as it crossed the Mozambique Channel.
The coastal city of Pemba has been hit by heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 185 km/h.
Videos on social media showed parts of Pemba town flooded, trees uprooted and some houses damaged.
The cyclone is now moving inland, with heavy rainfall reported in neighboring Nampula province.
While winds are expected to diminish, heavy rains and flooding are also forecast in southern Malawi and later in Zimbabwe.
Additional reporting by Richard Kagoe
