Tropical Cyclone Chido Strikes Mayotte: A Rare and Devastating Event
Tropical Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte on December 14, 2023, with wind speeds over 200 km/h, causing severe damage and loss of life. Despite early warnings from Météo-France, the island faced devastation due to intense rainfall and wind. The storm, declared the strongest in 90 years, subsequently affected Mozambique. Climate change’s role in the cyclone remains uncertain, and forecasts predict increased cyclonic activity for the upcoming seasons.
On December 14, 2023, Tropical Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte with winds exceeding 200 km/h and gusts surpassing 225 km/h, marking it as the most powerful storm to hit the island in nearly a century, according to Météo-France. Accompanying the winds were severe rainfall amounts of 176 mm in just 12 hours and towering wave heights exceeding 5 meters, which led to the destruction of some of Météo-France’s observational infrastructure.
In the aftermath, French President Emmanuel Macron declared a national day of mourning as emergency operations commenced, with initial reports indicating a potential loss of hundreds of lives. Mayotte, which is largely unprepared for such intense tropical cyclones and features numerous informal housing structures, faced significant devastation despite the timely warnings from Météo-France that began over 50 hours prior to landfall. An amber alert was issued on December 13, escalating to a rare violet alert on the morning of the cyclone’s arrival.
Cyclone Chido’s trajectory was atypical, avoiding Madagascar, which might have diminished its strength, and instead made a direct hit on Mayotte. Following its impact on Mayotte, the cyclone landed in Mozambique on December 15, resulting in heavy rainfall across Mozambique and Malawi. Météo-France commented on the unpredictability of the cyclone’s path and noted that such an event had not been witnessed in over ninety years.
The agency further stated that understanding the influence of climate change on the cyclone’s intensity and path remained elusive. Météo-France’s Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) for the South-West Indian Ocean had earlier released a seasonal forecast predicting an early start to the cyclonic activity for the 2024-2025 season, with expectations of near normal to above normal activity in the region.
Tropical cyclone events in the Indian Ocean are typically monitored by organizations such as Météo-France, which provides predictions and warnings to mitigate the impacts of severe weather. Mayotte, an island with a population vulnerable to extreme weather phenomena, has not experienced a cyclone of Chido’s magnitude for nearly a century, emphasizing the rarity and severity of this event. The cyclone season of 2024-2025 is anticipated to see increased activity based on assessments from meteorological authorities, which enhances the importance of preparedness in cyclone-prone regions.
Tropical Cyclone Chido’s unprecedented intensity and impact on Mayotte have highlighted the vulnerabilities associated with extreme weather in regions unaccustomed to such phenomena. The preparedness for future cyclonic events remains critical, especially as meteorological forecasts indicate a potential increase in cyclonic activity during the upcoming seasons. It is imperative to continue evaluating our understanding of such events in the context of climate change, although current data cannot definitively attribute the cyclone’s characteristics to climate factors.
Original Source: wmo.int
