Thousands Feared Dead After Cyclone Chido Pounds Mayotte

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Facts

  • Authorities rushed rescue teams and emergency responders to the French territory of Mayotte off the eastern coast of Africa on Monday after the tiny Indian Ocean territory was battered by its worst cyclone in nearly a century over the weekend.[1]
  • Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte on Saturday with winds exceeding 120 miles per hour (193 km/hr). It left thousands of homes without power and severely damaged the Pamandzi airport on Petite-Terre and the Mayotte hospital center.[2][3]
  • While the official death toll as of Monday morning (local time) stood at 14, Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville said that the storm had likely killed thousands of people. The densely populated territory is home to around 300K, including over 100K undocumented migrants.[4][5]
  • About 80% of Mayotte's population lives below the poverty line, and many residents are Muslims. The country's interior ministry stated that "the number of deaths that are officially counted will probably be much lower than reality."[3]
  • The cyclone has since made landfall in Mozambique, where it led to flash flooding, uprooted trees, damaged schools and health facilities, and killed three people. It also caused structural damage and power outages in the northern coastal provinces of Nampula and Cabo Delgado.[6][7]
  • Located nearly 5K miles from Paris and lying between Mozambique and Madagascar, Mayotte has grappled with gang violence and social unrest for decades. It became an official French colony in June 1843. In a 1974 referendum, it chose to remain with France.[8][9]

Sources: [1]RFI, [2]Le Monde, [3]The New York Times, [4]NPR Online News, [5]Sky News, [6]The Guardian, [7]BBC News, [8]Reuters and [9]Al Jazeera.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Le Monde and Associated Press. The French government had issued warnings 12 to 24 hours before the category 4 cyclone hit the archipelago, but many ignored the caveats and underestimated its power. However, France is mounting a robust emergency response with military aircraft, ships, and personnel so rescuers and supplies can reach the survivors. This prompt action highlights Paris' commitment to supporting its overseas territory during this exceptional crisis.
  • Narrative B, as provided by The Guardian and Sky News. Mayotte is in ruins, with an estimated 100K people without shelter, food, and water and possibly thousands of dead, with major blame to be shouldered by the French government. The catastrophic impact of the cyclone exposes long-standing issues of poverty, inadequate infrastructure, political unrest, the migration crisis, underinvestment, and perpetual violent gang activity in Mayotte — highlighting the territory's vulnerability and neglect.
  • Narrative C, as provided by India Today and University of Reading. This is an apocalyptic disaster unlike anything seen in at least 90 years because it was fueled by the climate crisis. The cyclone could have weakened had it made landfall on Madagascar, but it strengthened due to exceptionally warm Indian Ocean waters. While cyclones are a natural phenomenon, climate change has contributed to their intensity, making them more destructive.