Tropical Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte on December 14, with wind speeds exceeding 200 km/h, causing severe destruction and prioritizing a national mourning declared by France. Early warnings failed to prevent extensive casualties due to unprepared informal housing, and Météo-France noted the cyclone’s unusual intensity and track, prompting concerns of future cyclone activity in the region.
On December 14, Tropical Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte with wind speeds exceeding 200 km/h and gusts surpassing 225 km/h, marking it as the most powerful storm to affect the island in over 90 years, according to Météo-France. The cyclone also unleashed torrential rainfall, measuring 176 mm in just 12 hours, and generated dangerous wave heights averaging over 5 meters, damaging Météo-France’s observation structures.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced a national day of mourning following early reports indicating possible hundreds of casualties on Mayotte, which is accustomed to gentler weather patterns and lacks robust housing structures to withstand such violent storms. Despite accurate alerts issued by Météo-France more than 50 hours prior to landfall, the destruction was extensive.
Chido’s unusual path took it close to Madagascar, which may have moderated its strength, yet it proceeded to envelop Mayotte fully. After its impact on Mayotte, Chido continued its trajectory, making landfall in Mozambique on December 15, subsequently weakening but still delivering heavy rains to both Mozambique and Malawi.
Météo-France stated that while the precise influence of climate change remains uncertain, the primary factors contributing to the impact of Chido were its course and direct strike on Mayotte, an event not witnessed in the last 90 years. The agency emphasized that current understanding is insufficient to draw conclusions regarding climate change effects on cyclone behavior.
The Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) in La Réunion, a branch of Météo-France, predicted earlier than usual cyclone activity for the 2024-2025 season in the Southwest Indian Ocean. Their outlook anticipated between nine to thirteen systems, with the possibility of four to seven escalating to the tropical cyclone status, contrary to the past three seasons when significant systems only began in January.
Overall, Tropical Cyclone Chido has unveiled vulnerabilities in Mayotte’s preparedness against extreme weather events, underscoring the potential impacts of climate change and the need for enhanced forecasting and response mechanisms in similar regions.
The Indian Ocean region experiences tropical cyclones, with Mayotte being particularly vulnerable due to its geographical location and socio-economic structures. The strength of Cyclone Chido represents a deviation from the norm for the area, as it recorded the highest wind speeds and impact in nearly a century. The predictive capacity of meteorological agencies plays a vital role in preparing and safeguarding vulnerable populations, emphasizing the need for preventative measures in light of climate change.
Tropical Cyclone Chido has highlighted the severe risks faced by Mayotte in the context of increasingly intense weather phenomena, stressing the importance of timely and effective meteorological predictions. With ongoing discourse regarding climate change’s impact on cyclone frequency and intensity, this event serves as a critical case for both immediate response efforts and long-term infrastructural planning in cyclone-prone regions.
Original Source: wmo.int
