The French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte is grappling with severe weather once again, as heavy rains have triggered flooding and mudslides just a month after Cyclone Chido wreaked havoc across the islands, claiming dozens of lives.
On Sunday morning, the archipelago was placed on the highest state of alert due to the approach of another storm. Authorities issued warnings about potentially violent winds, flash floods, and landslides.
Social media footage has surfaced showing downed power lines and significant flooding. Local reports indicate that the village of Mbouini, which had previously escaped the devastation of Cyclone Chido, is now under water.
This latest storm, named Dikeledi, made landfall in northern Madagascar on Saturday, resulting in at least three fatalities.
Weather monitoring service Météo-France noted that the storm passed approximately 100 km (62 miles) south of Mayotte at about 09:00 GMT on Sunday. “Extremely heavy rains are beginning to trickle down,” stated François-Xavier Bieuville, the prefect of Mayotte, during a news broadcast. He reported the onset of flooding and significant mudslides across the territory.
Bieuville also indicated that the island might remain on red alert until Monday evening, as heavy rainfall is expected to persist even after the storm recedes. Approximately 14,500 individuals have sought refuge in emergency shelters erected to safeguard residents from the storm.
By Sunday afternoon, the storm was moving away from Mayotte, with forecasts suggesting it may intensify into a tropical cyclone over the next 24 hours as it approaches the coast of Mozambique. While current projections do not indicate a landfall in Mozambique, the Nampula region is anticipated to face “very degraded conditions.”
Mozambique is also in recovery mode following the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido, which resulted in 120 fatalities in the country.
In Mayotte, one of France’s most impoverished regions, many residents live in shanty towns. Although the official population is reported at 320,000, estimates suggest that an additional 100,000 to 200,000 undocumented migrants may reside there. Cyclone Chido, which struck on December 14, was the most devastating storm to hit Mayotte in 90 years, with winds reaching 260 km/h (160 mph) and obliterating makeshift homes. Initial casualty reports indicated several hundred deaths, but the official toll was later revised down to 39.
