Cyclone Chido, a Category 4 storm, made landfall in Mozambique, causing significant destruction after affecting Mayotte. Approximately 1.7 million people are impacted, and rescue efforts reveal hundreds feared dead in Mayotte. Humanitarian organizations are mobilizing to provide assistance and assess damage.
Cyclone Chido registered as a powerful Category 4 storm made landfall in Pemba, the capital of Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, on December 15, following extensive damage caused in the French territory of Mayotte. The Malawi Red Cross reported on social media that Chido was observed at 14:05 local time over northern Mozambique, with its influence already affecting southern Malawi, bringing heavy rains and destructive winds. The International Organization for Migration indicated that the cyclone impacted approximately 1.7 million individuals across Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Niassa, with wind speeds exceeding 200 km/h and ongoing assessments of the damage being conducted in collaboration with local authorities. UNICEF has expressed concern over the immediate and prolonged repercussions for an already vulnerable populace in Mozambique, emphasizing their cooperative efforts to respond effectively to the crisis.
Prior to its landfall in Mozambique, Cyclone Chido inflicted severe destruction in Mayotte, an island in the Indian Ocean under French administration. According to Colin McCarthy, a US-based extreme weather tracker, reports indicate that entire neighborhoods have been razed and hundreds of individuals may have perished due to the storm’s winds, which reached speeds of up to 220 km/h. Francois-Xavier Bieuville, the Prefect of Mayotte, also noted the tragic loss of life, potentially involving thousands, as rescue efforts are complicated by the region’s cultural practices surrounding burials. Meteo France characterized Chido’s impact on Mayotte as unprecedented, describing the storm as one of the most severe experienced by the area in over nine decades.
Cyclones in the region are not uncommon, and each occurrence tends to affect vulnerable populations significantly due to limited infrastructure and weather preparedness. Cyclone Chido has emerged as a notable example of such a disaster, demonstrating the severe implications of climate-related events, particularly in terms of human safety and socioeconomic stability. Mayotte, being a small island territory with a dense population, faced unique challenges in managing the aftermath of the cyclone, while Mozambique is still grappling with the implications of various natural disasters.
In summary, Cyclone Chido has caused catastrophic damage in both Mayotte and Mozambique, with reports indicating significant loss of life and displacement. Efforts from various humanitarian organizations are underway to assess and respond to the needs of the affected populations. The cyclone underscores the susceptibility of regions prone to extreme weather, emphasizing the necessity for enhanced preparedness and responsive measures to mitigate the effects of future storms.
Original Source: www.downtoearth.org.in
