Devastating Impact of Tropical Cyclone Chido on Mayotte
Tropical Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte on December 14 with extreme wind speeds, causing significant destruction and loss of life. Despite ample advance warnings, the storm unleashed torrential rains and high seas, leading to national mourning in France. Following its direct impact on Mayotte, Chido also affected Mozambique and Malawi. The cyclone’s rarity and potential connections to climate change are under examination, with future cyclone activity expected to remain high.
On December 14, Tropical Cyclone Chido emerged as the most powerful storm to impact Mayotte in 90 years, attaining wind speeds exceeding 200 km/h and gusts surpassing 225 km/h. Accompanying the cyclone were torrential rains, resulting in 176 mm of rainfall in just 12 hours, alongside perilous wave heights exceeding five meters. The cyclone’s intensity even obliterated some of Météo-France’s observation facilities.
In response to the disaster, French President Emmanuel Macron declared a national day of mourning, while an extensive emergency and relief operation was initiated due to reports indicating substantial casualties among the island’s vulnerable population, largely residing in informal housing structures. Although there were timely alerts issued by Météo-France more than 50 hours ahead of the storm, initial reports suggested significant loss of life.
Chido’s trajectory was atypical as it bypassed Madagascar, a larger island that could have weakened the system. Instead, the cyclone struck Mayotte directly, resulting in a full impact on the island. After affecting Mayotte, Chido made landfall over Mozambique on December 15, where it continued to bring heavy rainfall to Mozambique and Malawi.
Météo-France expressed uncertainty regarding the impact of climate change on this cyclone, stating, “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.” They noted the current inability to draw conclusions regarding climate-related influences on the cyclone’s path and intensity.
The Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Tropical Cyclone center for the South-West Indian Ocean, operated by Météo-France La Réunion, had accurately forecasted an early start to the 2024-2025 cyclone season. Earlier predicting models had shown that impactful systems typically commenced in January, but the outlook indicates potential activity as early as late 2024, projecting nine to thirteen systems, with four to seven reaching tropical cyclone status.
In summary, Tropical Cyclone Chido has caused unprecedented devastation in Mayotte, marking it as a significant meteorological event. Despite advanced warnings, the cyclone led to tragic losses for the island’s residents. Météo-France’s insights highlight the rarity of this occurrence and suggest a need for ongoing research into climate influences on such extreme weather patterns. The upcoming cyclone season predictions indicate heightened activity, raising further concerns for the region.
Original Source: wmo.int
