Hundreds feared dead after Cyclone Chido wreaks havoc in French island of Mayotte

In the French island territory of Mayotte on Indian Ocean, hundreds are feared dead after Cyclone Chido wreaked havoc causing widespread devastation.

While officials have confirmed 20 deaths, local authorities stated that the number of victims could be in hundreds or even thousands. Mayotte’s prefect has warned that the final toll could reach close to a thousand or even several thousand.

The powerful Category 4 storm, with winds reaching 225 KM per hour, struck the region on Saturday. It is believed to be the worst to hit the island in 90 years – with



waves up to eight metres high.

People are calling for aid, as the Island, located between Madagascar and the Mozambique coast, is left without power since the cyclone made landfall.

French President Emmanuel Macron said, he will declare a national mourning period. France’s poorest department and the poorest territory in the European Union, Mayotte is a hotspot for economic migration due to its better standard of living and the French welfare system, drawing people from neighboring countries like Comoros and Somalia.