‘Intense’ Cyclone Chido Causes Deaths in Mozambique and Devastation in Mayotte

The National Institute of Risk and Disaster Management (INGD) of Mozambique reported that a minimum of 34 individuals perished in the northern part of the country due to “one of the most intense storms ever recorded.” Cyclone Chido reached Mozambique’s coast on Sunday, having previously caused significant destruction in Mayotte, an Indian Ocean territory. In Mayotte, a French overseas region, hundreds are believed to have died, and numerous individuals, including over 200 Red Cross volunteers, are presumed missing. The INGD described the circumstances in Mozambique as “heart-breaking” and cautioned that the number of fatalities is expected to increase. Cyclone Chido, which generated winds reaching approximately 260 km/h (160 mph), resulted in over 34,000 Mozambican households losing their residences. Additionally, educational institutions, medical centers, and fishing vessels sustained damage. Chido impacted northern provinces frequently affected by cyclones. This region also experiences ongoing assaults from Islamist militants. The cyclone initially made landfall in Cabo Delgado, then proceeded inland to Niassa and Nampula, where a three-year-old girl was recorded as one of the deceased. Paulo Tomas, a spokesperson for the INGD, stated that the majority of deaths attributed to Chido resulted from impacts by falling debris, including fragments of demolished brick walls. Both electricity and communication services have been disrupted; Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM), the state-owned power utility, reported that approximately 200,000 customers are experiencing power outages. Extensive damage to infrastructure in Mayotte, including fallen power lines and obstructed roads, is significantly impeding emergency response efforts. Chido represented the most powerful storm to affect the territory in over 90 years. While the official count of fatalities on the islands stands at 21, it is believed that hundreds more may have perished. Tommaso Della Longa, a spokesperson for the International Federation of Red Cross, informed the BBC, “We are talking about the entire area, if not the whole island completely destroyed and washed away. What is really scary is the number of people that are still missing.” He further stated that over 200 Red Cross volunteers are counted among the individuals presumed missing. Estelle Youssouffa, a French Member of Parliament representing the island, expressed concerns that tens of thousands of lives may have been lost due to the cyclone. She conveyed to the BBC that the extent of the devastation, with 90% of structures damaged, was difficult to grasp. Youssouffa also mentioned that the total number of fatalities might never be definitively ascertained. She explained that with thousands unaccounted for, primarily in regions inhabited by undocumented immigrants, “by definition it’s a population that is… not on the radar of the administration.” She further noted that many “refused to go to the shelters because they feared they could be expelled from the island.” To deter looting, French authorities have implemented a night-time curfew in Mayotte. Only last year, Mozambique was recovering from Cyclone Freddy, which was identified as one of the most enduring storms ever documented in the Southern Hemisphere, possibly globally. The World Meteorological Organization reported that over 180 people died in the nation.