Cyclone Chido Devastates Mayotte, Leaving Thousands Homeless and Unaccounted For

The French territory faces a deepening humanitarian crisis with widespread destruction, a rising death toll, and urgent calls for aid.

Cyclone Chido, the most powerful storm to hit Mayotte in nearly a century, has caused catastrophic damage, with at least 31 confirmed deaths and fears of hundreds or thousands more unaccounted for.
Mayotte’s main hospital in Mamoudzou remains operational but heavily damaged, with staff working under dire conditions and facing shortages of medicine and electricity.
Shanty towns housing undocumented migrants were flattened, leaving many without shelter or basic resources and complicating efforts to assess the true scale of the disaster.
French authorities have begun relief efforts, including food distribution and aid shipments from nearby Reunion Island, but residents criticize the perceived slow response and lack of visible military assistance.
Health officials warn of a potential surge in disease due to contaminated water, unrecovered bodies, and poor sanitation, as the island struggles to recover from the widespread devastation.