Cyclone Chido Devastates Mayotte – worst storm in 90 years to hit the territory.

Starting December 15th, cyclone Chido has left a trail of destruction across Mayotte, a small archipelago in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Mozambique, with local authorities fearing a death toll that could reach several hundred, possibly thousands. The cyclone struck with gusts exceeding 226 kph (140 mph), uprooting trees, toppling power lines, and devastating homes in the French Indian Ocean territory. As rescue efforts are underway, the catastrophic impact highlights the growing frequency and intensity of such cyclones amplified by climate change. 

The cyclone has disrupted life for Mayotte’s 320,000 residents, 77% of whom live below the national poverty line with a third of the citizens living in makeshift housing. Clean water and electricity, which is already scarce, have now become inaccessible. The cyclone has also severely damaged hospitals and schools, leaving local authorities scrambling to deliver emergency aid. The destruction was not confined to Mayotte. Mozambique’s northern provinces experienced damaging winds and flooding, while heavy rains from the cyclone’s remnants threaten flash floods in Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that 1.7 million people across all regions are at risk from Chido’s aftermath. 

Cyclone Chido is not an isolated event. Experts agree it is part of a broader pattern of increasingly powerful tropical storms driven by climate change. Cyclones draw energy from warm ocean waters. This year, Indian Ocean surface temperatures have reached record highs, with 90% of the warming attributed to anthropogenic emissions, providing a supercharged environment for Chido. The higher the sea temperatures, the more moisture and energy a cyclone can absorb, intensifying its strength. Moreover, warmer climates are associated with slower-moving cyclones, which can linger longer over affected regions. The longer the storm is over a region,it increases the amount of rainfall and the extent of flooding, compounding the damage. 

Cyclone Chido serves as a grim reminder of the urgency to address climate change. Mitigation and adaptation measures are critical to protect vulnerable regions. Achieving net-zero emissions is essential to slow the warming of oceans and reduce cyclone intensity. Furthermore, expanding and enhancing weather forecasting capabilities can save lives by providing communities more time to prepare. 

Feature image: The path of Tropical Cyclone Chido, Credit: Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC).

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