Tropical Cyclone Chido’s Historic Impact on Mayotte
Tropical Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte on December 14 with exceptional wind speeds and rainfall, resulting in significant damage and loss of life. French President Macron declared national mourning, while emergency operations were activated. Despite advanced warnings from Météo-France, the cyclone’s intensity caused unprecedented impacts on the island. The cyclone later affected Mozambique and Malawi, raising questions about climate change’s role in such extreme weather events.
On December 14, Tropical Cyclone Chido made landfall in Mayotte, exceeding wind speeds of 200 km/h and producing gusts surpassing 225 km/h, marking it as the most powerful storm to strike the island in nearly nine decades, as reported by Météo-France. Accompanied by an extraordinary deluge of 176 mm of rain within 12 hours and perilous ocean conditions with average wave heights exceeding 5 meters, the cyclone severely damaged Météo-France’s own observation infrastructure.
In response to the disaster, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a period of national mourning. An extensive emergency relief operation was initiated due to preliminary reports indicating significant loss of life, particularly among informal housing structures prevalent on the island, which is not accustomed to such intense tropical cyclones.
Despite Météo-France issuing accurate warnings 50 hours in advance, including an amber alert on December 13 at 7 AM local time escalated to a violet alert on December 14, the storm resulted in tragic casualties. Chido’s unusual trajectory, avoiding Madagascar, allowed it to maintain its intensity as it made a direct impact on Mayotte, enveloping the island within its eye.
Following its impact on Mayotte, Chido subsequently made landfall in Mozambique on December 15, bringing heavy rainfall to both Mozambique and Malawi. Météo-France noted that the influence of climate change on Chido’s intensity and path remains uncertain. The agency commented, “The impacts of Chido are above all due to its track and the direct hit on Mayotte. This is an extremely rare event not seen for 90 years.”
Météo-France La Réunion serves as the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) for Tropical Cyclones in the South-West Indian Ocean. Their seasonal forecast, issued on October 31, accurately anticipated an early onset to the 2024-2025 cyclone season, predicting 9 to 13 systems, with four to seven likely to attain tropical cyclone status.
Tropical cyclones are intense circular storms associated with low-pressure systems and characterized by strong winds and heavy rainfall. The Indian Ocean region, particularly around Mayotte, has less historical exposure to such powerful cyclones compared to other areas. The cyclone, named Chido, made an unprecedented impact on the small island on December 14, 2023, underscoring the vulnerability of regions that are not accustomed to such severe weather phenomena. Accurate forecasting plays a crucial role in disaster preparedness, as demonstrated by Météo-France’s warnings leading up to the cyclone’s landfall.
In summary, Tropical Cyclone Chido caused devastating effects in Mayotte, characterized by unprecedented wind speeds and significant rainfall, leading to a tragic loss of life and widespread destruction. The event highlighted the importance of early warning systems while raising questions about the potential implications of climate change on the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones in the region. As the 2024-2025 cyclone season approaches, continued monitoring and preparedness are essential to mitigate future impacts.
Original Source: wmo.int
