Mayotte, Still Recovering from Cyclone Chido's Devastation in December, Prepares for Another Storm

The French overseas territory of Mayotte, still reeling from the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido in December, will be placed under a red weather alert starting at 7:00 PM GMT on Saturday, according to a senior official.

Residents of Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, braced on Saturday for Cyclone Dikeledi, expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain, just weeks after the deadly Cyclone Chido wreaked havoc on the archipelago.

The island was placed under a red weather alert at 7:00 PM GMT Saturday as Cyclone Dikeledi was forecast to pass south of the territory. Authorities urged "extreme vigilance," recalling the destruction caused by Cyclone Chido in mid-December, which killed at least 39 people, injured over 5,600, and caused catastrophic damage.

Meteo-France warned of "significant rain and windy conditions," with the potential for severe flooding. Residents were advised to stock up on essentials and seek shelter. The storm is expected to hit northeastern Madagascar Saturday evening before moving off southern Mayotte’s coast Sunday.

Manuel Valls, France's new overseas territories minister, emphasized that "nothing is being left to chance," citing predictions of "heavy and continuous rain" and winds up to 110 kilometers per hour. Mayotte, France's poorest department, is still struggling to recover from its worst cyclone in 90 years.

The Mayotte prefecture has urged residents to prepare for a potential close passage of Cyclone Dikeledi, expected to bring severe weather conditions.

Francois-Xavier Bieuville, the Paris-appointed prefect of Mayotte, announced that the territory would be placed on a red weather alert from 7:00 PM GMT on Saturday. Later, he moved the alert to 10:00 PM, urging residents to seek shelter and care for loved ones.

“We need to be seriously prepared for the possibility of a close passage of the cyclone,” the prefecture stated on X. Bieuville further warned that the cyclone could pass as close as 75 kilometers (46 miles) to Mayotte’s southern coast, according to forecasts.

Authorities broadcast warnings in French and two regional languages via radio and television to alert the population of the impending danger. Cyclone Dikeledi's approach comes less than a month after Mayotte was devastated by Cyclone Chido, heightening concerns over its impact.

Forecasters predict Cyclone Dikeledi will weaken into a strong tropical storm by Saturday night before moving off Mayotte's southern coast on Sunday. However, officials remain on high alert, warning of heavy rains and potential mudslides.

More than 4,000 personnel, including police and army units, have been mobilized, and mayors have been asked to reopen shelters like schools and gymnasiums that housed 15,000 people during Cyclone Chido in December. Emergency forces are focusing on fragile shantytowns, particularly in Mamoudzou, where the risk of mudslides is high.

Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville emphasized the differences between the storms, noting, "Chido was a dry cyclone, with very little rain. This tropical storm is a wet event; we are going to have a lot of rain."

Mayotte, officially home to 320,000 residents, has an estimated additional 100,000 to 200,000 undocumented inhabitants living in precarious conditions, many of whom remain at risk.

Local resident Camelia Petre, 35, plans to shelter in her home, which withstood Cyclone Chido, and take in friends and colleagues who lost theirs. "I’m very worried about the vulnerable population," she said.

For questions or comments write to writers@bostonbrandmedia.com

Source: NDTV‍