The search for missing people goes on in Mayotte, French overseas territory, after the stormy impact of Cyclone Chido, which has torn across southeastern Africa. It leaves extensive destruction and increasing fatalities in Mozambique and Malawi.
At least 21 deaths have already been confirmed in Mayotte, and local officials fear that the toll could climb to the thousands. Thousands of its residents are cut off from road and communication networks, power supply, and water.
200 of its volunteers are also missing according to the reports by the Red Cross.
The cyclone also resulted in massive destruction across Mozambique and Malawi. Authorities in northern Mozambique reported 34 deaths and the destruction of over 23,600 homes, while in Malawi, seven people were killed and 35,000 affected.
Mayotte has enforced a 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew as severe shortages of food and fuel sparked looting. Fuel has been allocated only to emergency vehicles, and most shops have reopened on a limited basis. Many undocumented migrants shunned shelters ahead of the storm, fearing deportation. Those who have yet to receive aid are now afraid of seeking it.
President Emmanuel Macron declared a national mourning period after a visit to Mayotte, announcing that France would be reinforcing security forces. Informal settlements composed of tin, with lots of people in small spaces, were the hardest hit when the storm struck at a speed of 140mph. The leadership in the locality has, with MP Estelle Youssouffa, indicated that possibly the full scale of the disaster may never be known.
The cyclone, fed by abnormally warm Indian Ocean waters, points to an imperative need for better infrastructure in Mayotte. “If long-term solutions are not found, this will be repeated, and there will be more of the same tragedies,” IT entrepreneur Said Valdo cautioned.
The disaster coincides with a severe food shortage hitting southern Africa after severe drought this year.
