CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) – Cyclone Chido has wreaked havoc on the French island of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, killing at least 11 people, the French Interior Ministry said Sunday.
The ministry said it was proving difficult to ascertain the exact number of deaths and injuries, amid concerns that the death toll could rise. Hospitals in Mayotte reported nine people hospitalized in critical condition and 246 others injured.
The tropical cyclone passed through the southeastern Indian Ocean and also affected the nearby islands of Comoros and Madagascar. Mayotte was directly in the path of the cyclone on Saturday, causing severe damage, officials said. Governor Mayotte said it was the worst cyclone to hit Mayotte in 90 years.
French Interior Minister Bruno Letailraud said Saturday night after an emergency meeting in Paris that the death toll on Mayotte could be “high.”
Chido brought winds of more than 220 kilometers per hour (136 miles per hour) and ripped off metal roofs from homes on Mayotte, a population of just over 300,000 people spread over two main islands about 800 kilometers (800 kilometers) apart, the French weather service said. , destroyed many small structures. 500 miles off the east coast of Africa).
Entire neighborhoods were flattened in some areas, and local residents reported many trees uprooted and boats overturned or sunk. According to France's transport minister, major airports were also severely damaged.
Mayotte, France's poorest island, has been plagued by drought and lack of investment.
Chido has now made landfall in Mozambique on the African mainland, with emergency officials warning that 2.5 million people could be affected in two northern provinces. Landlocked countries Malawi and Zimbabwe are also planning and preparing for the impact, with both countries warning that flooding could force people to be evacuated from low-lying areas.
A series of strong cyclones have hit the southeastern Indian Ocean in recent years, including Cyclone Idai in 2019, which killed more than 1,500 people in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
