Intense Tropical Cyclone Chido, which developed in the southwest Indian Ocean, left a trail of destruction in the French island territory Mayotte and nearby countries in southeast Africa like Mozambique, possibly leaving thousands dead and many more without homes and livelihood. “Cyclone Chido underwent rapid intensification before landfall in Mauritius, weakened slightly, and then regained its Category 4-equivalent intensity before reaching Mayotte and continuing to Mozambique,” Alex Baker, a meteorologist at the University of Reading in the U.K., said in a statement. Local authorities in Mayotte said that while they are uncertain about the full extent of the disaster, the death toll could reach several hundreds or even thousands. Hospital reports recorded at least 22 people dead and more than a thousand injured but many parts of the island are still inaccessible. Reuters reported that some casualties were also buried before their deaths could be counted. A curfew has been imposed by the French government to stabilize the situation in Mayotte as planes are sent daily with up to 50 tons of food, water and medicine, the Associated Press reported. Aid group Médecins du Monde (MDM) said in the report that cholera is already circulating on the island. “It might turn into an epidemic if there is no way to ensure efficient access to water,” MDM director Jean-François Corty was quoted as saying. In Mozambique, at least 34 people have died, recent reports said. In Mayotte’s neighboring archipelago Comoros, a week of national mourning was declared as authorities anticipate deaths reaching…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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South Africa Today – Environment
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