Tropical Cyclone Chido Devastates Mayotte: A Historical Storm

Tropical Cyclone Chido hit Mayotte on December 14, 2023, with wind speeds surpassing 200 km/h, making it the most powerful storm to hit the island in 90 years. Despite timely warnings from Météo-France, many lives were lost due to the island’s unpreparedness for such storms. Chido followed an unusual path and later impacted Mozambique, raising concerns over the role of climate change in such extreme weather events.

On December 14, 2023, Tropical Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte with unprecedented force, achieving wind speeds exceeding 200 kilometers per hour and gusts surpassing 225 kilometers per hour, marking it as the most powerful cyclone to impact the island in nearly a century, according to Météo-France. The cyclone was accompanied by torrential rainfall, recording 176 millimeters within a brief span of 12 hours, further exacerbated by dangerously high sea levels with average waves reaching over 5 meters. The cyclone’s intensity resulted in the destruction of some of Météo-France’s observational equipment.

In response to the disaster, French President Emmanuel Macron declared a period of national mourning and initiated extensive emergency and relief operations. Fortunately, preliminary reports indicated that the death toll could involve hundreds of families, largely due to the island’s unpreparedness for such powerful storms, especially within its many informal housing areas. Despite receiving detailed meteorological warnings—issued over 50 hours prior—deaths were still recorded from this rare weather event.

Chido followed an atypical trajectory, avoiding Madagascar, which could have weakened its intensity. Upon making landfall, the cyclone swept over Mozambique on December 15 while subsequently losing strength but still delivering significant rainfall to both Mozambique and Malawi. Météo-France has indicated that the impact of climate change on tropical cyclones remains uncertain. They stated that the severe effects of Chido were primarily attributable to its unique path, which resulted in a direct impact on Mayotte.

Météo-France also reported that while the cyclone’s landing was exceptionally rare, predictions had been made regarding the likely early onset of the cyclone season for 2024-2025, emphasizing a potential normal to above-normal activity with expectations of 9 to 13 systems forming, several of which could reach the intense tropical cyclone classification.

Tropical Cyclone Chido exemplifies the unpredictable and devastating nature of tropical storms, particularly in regions that are unaccustomed to such meteorological phenomena. The cyclone’s unusual path and intensity highlight the potential impacts of climate variability in the Indian Ocean. The frequent occurrences of extreme weather events challenge existing preparedness measures, especially in areas with vulnerable infrastructure and informal housing structures. Accurate forecasting and timely alerts are critical in mitigating loss of life and property damage during such catastrophic events.

In conclusion, Tropical Cyclone Chido’s unprecedented strength and trajectory have underscored the vulnerabilities of Mayotte and similar regions to extreme weather events. The tragedy highlights the necessity for improved hurricane preparedness and infrastructure resilience in the face of predicted increases in tropical cyclone activity. Although the role of climate change remains uncertain, the meteorological community continues to observe and study these increasingly impactful phenomena.

Original Source: wmo.int