At least 11 people have died in the French region of Mayotte as Cyclone Chido wreaks havoc.
Cape Town, South Africa (AP) – At least 11 people have died after Cyclone Chido caused extensive damage to the French territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, the French Interior Ministry said on Sunday.
The Ministry said that it seems difficult to get the figures of the dead and injured as there is a fear that the number of dead will increase. The Mayotte Hospital reported that nine people are in critical condition in the hospital and 246 others are injured.
This typhoon blew in the southeast of the Indian Ocean, affecting the nearby islands of Comoros and Madagascar. Mayotte was in the path of the storm and was seriously damaged on Saturday, officials said. The mayor of Mayotte said it was the worst storm to hit Mayotte in 90 years.
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French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said Saturday night after an emergency meeting in Paris there were fears that the death toll in Mayotte “will be high.”
Chido brought winds of more than 220 kph (136 mph), according to the French meteorological service, tearing metal roofs from houses and destroying many small buildings in Mayotte, which has more than 300,000 people spread over two large islands about 800 kilometers apart. 500 miles) from the east coast of Africa.
In some parts, entire neighborhoods were flattened, while local residents reported that many trees had been uprooted and boats had been overturned or sunk. The main airport was also badly damaged, France’s transport minister said.
The poorest French island, Mayotte has previously suffered from drought and under-investment.
Chido has arrived in Mozambique on the African continent, where emergency services have warned that 2.5 million people could be affected in two northern states. Landlocked countries Malawi and Zimbabwe have also made plans and are preparing to be affected, as both countries warn that they may have to evacuate people from low-lying areas due to flooding.
A series of powerful cyclones have hit the southeast Indian Ocean in recent years, including Cyclone Idai in 2019 which left more than 1,500 people dead in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
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Corbet reported from Paris.
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