- विज्ञापन -
Paris: Cyclone Chido has caused significant devastation in Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, resulting in at least two fatalities and extensive material damage. The storm, with winds exceeding 220 km/h, struck Petite-Terre, prompting authorities to issue a red alert for the island.
In response, France has sent additional support, including 140 civil security personnel and firefighters, to aid in rescue and recovery efforts, with more expected to arrive on Sunday. President Emmanuel Macron assured that France would support the people of Mayotte during this crisis. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau described the situation as “dramatic” and “absolutely exceptional,” although he did not provide a confirmed death toll. He is set to visit Mayotte on Monday.
Cyclone Chido, which is currently threatening Mozambique, is the fourth tropical disturbance and the second intense cyclone of the 2024–25 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season. It formed from a disturbance southeast of Diego Garcia on December 5, was named Chido on December 8, and made landfall in Mauritius on December 11. After passing through Madagascar, it regained strength and struck Mayotte on December 14. Initially, the island was placed under a purple alert, the highest level, leading to a strict lockdown for all residents and emergency services, but this alert has since been downgraded to red to allow emergency operations.
