Despair in Mayotte: Cyclone Chido's Aftermath and Emergency Declaration

In a historic move for France, Mayotte struggles with loss and destruction following Cyclone Chido, as emergency measures are activated to restore vital services and safety.

An exceptional state of natural disaster has been declared for Mayotte, the French territory in the Indian Ocean, in response to the catastrophic impact of Cyclone Chido. French officials report at least 31 fatalities and thousands more missing after the cyclone tore through the islands on Saturday, marking the first such emergency declaration in French history. This alarming development arrives just as President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit Mayotte on Thursday.

This declaration allows for expedited administrative actions to manage the crisis effectively, deploying resources rapidly to restore vital services and develop a sustainable plan for recovery. The emergency status has been activated for an initial one-month period, subject to renewal by subsequent two-month increments as needed. "In light of this extraordinary situation, exceptional measures must be taken to restore essential services and create a long-term rebuilding strategy for Mayotte," stated François-Noël Buffet, the minister overseeing overseas territories.

Emergency responders are actively delivering food and water supplies, clearing blocked roads, and prioritizing searches for those missing. Health officials express concerns over the potential spread of infectious diseases, particularly due to reported shortages of clean drinking water and rationed resources in local shops. Authorities emphasize the urgent need to restore damaged water treatment facilities.

As of now, approximately half of Mayotte remains without electricity, and a curfew has been enforced, requiring residents to remain indoors for six hours each night to curb looting. Mayotte is one of France's most impoverished regions, where many inhabitants reside in precarious shanty towns. The Macron administration faces criticism for years of underinvestment in the territory, which has attracted around 100,000 asylum-seeking migrants living in informal settlements, with many believed to be among the hardest hit by the cyclone's devastation.

Cyclone Chido, noted as the worst storm to strike the archipelago in the past 90 years, unleashed winds exceeding 225 km/h (140 mph) on Saturday, leveling structures in impoverished locales and leaving a trail of rubble. Following its rampage in Mayotte, the storm moved on to the African mainland, resulting in at least 45 deaths in Mozambique and 13 in Malawi.