Tropical Cyclone Chido’s Impact on Mayotte: A Overwhelming Disaster

On December 14, 2023, tropical cyclone Chido hit Mayotte with winds over 200 km/h, causing severe damage and loss of life. The cyclone marked the most powerful storm in the region in 90 years, with significant rainfall and ocean conditions. Despite timely warnings, the cyclone resulted in grave consequences for the island community.

Tropical cyclone Chido struck Mayotte on December 14, bringing wind speeds exceeding 200 km/h and gusts over 225 km/h. This cyclone is marked as the most powerful storm to impact the island in 90 years, as per Météo-France. Accompanying the high winds, torrential rains fell, totaling 176 mm within 12 hours, alongside dangerous wave heights surpassing 5 meters. The cyclone’s strength even resulted in damage to Météo-France’s observational infrastructure.

In the wake of the disaster, French President Emmanuel Macron declared a period of national mourning. Emergency responders mobilized rapidly as initial reports suggested that hundreds of lives could be lost due to the unprecedented nature of the cyclone on the small island, notorious for lacking infrastructure to withstand such extreme weather events.

Tragically, despite Météo-France delivering accurate and timely warnings over 50 hours prior to the cyclone’s arrival, significant loss of life was reported. An amber alert was triggered on December 13 at 7 AM local time, advancing to a red alert later that day and escalating to a rare violet alert by the following morning.

Chido’s trajectory was unusual; instead of weakening over Madagascar, it maintained its intensity and made a direct impact on Mayotte. The cyclone subsequently made landfall in Mozambique on December 15, where it also caused heavy rainfall.

Météo-France stated that while the effects of climate change are not fully understood, the severe impact of Chido can primarily be attributed to its direct approach towards Mayotte. They elucidated this event as an extremely rare occurrence not seen for nearly a century, remarking on the uncertainty regarding climate change’s contribution to the cyclone’s path and intensity.

Météo-France La Réunion acts as the WMO’s Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre for tropical cyclones in the South-West Indian Ocean. The center’s seasonal forecast, released on October 31, successfully indicated an early onset of the 2024-2025 cyclone season, predicting between 9 and 13 systems, with 4 to 7 potentially developing into tropical cyclones.

Tropical cyclone Chido serves as a critical case study regarding the vulnerability of island nations to extreme weather events. The impact of climate change and its relationship to cyclone intensity and occurrence remains a significant concern. Understanding weather patterns and forecasting capabilities is crucial for disaster preparedness in regions prone to natural disasters.

Cyclone Chido’s unprecedented strength and impact on Mayotte highlight the urgent need for improved disaster response strategies and infrastructure in island regions. Continued research into the effects of climate change on cyclonic activity remains essential for future preparedness and mitigation efforts.

Original Source: wmo.int