By Michel Rosa
PARIS (Reuters) – Several hundred people, perhaps even thousands, may have died from Cyclone Chido in the French Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte, a senior local French official said on Sunday.
“I think it will surely be several hundred, perhaps we will reach a thousand, even several thousand,” said prefect François-Xavier Bieuville on the local Mayotte La 1ere communication channel.
When asked about the death toll of several hundred, the French Interior Ministry said “it will be difficult to account for all the victims” and said a figure could not be determined at this time.
Cyclone Chido swept through Mayotte overnight, Méteo-France said, causing winds of more than 200 kilometers per hour (124 mph) and damaging makeshift homes, government buildings and a hospital. It was the strongest storm to hit the islands in more than 90 years, the meteorologist said.
“My thoughts are with our compatriots in Mayotte, who have gone through the most horrible hours and who, for some, have lost everything, have lost their lives,” said French President Emmanuel Macron.
Aerial images shared by the French gendarmerie showed the remains of hundreds of makeshift houses scattered across the hills of one of the islands of Mayotte, which have been a focal point for illegal immigration from nearby Comoros.
In recent decades, thousands of people have attempted to cross from Comoros, off the coast of East Africa, to Mayotte, which has a higher standard of living and access to the French welfare system.
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, more than 100,000 undocumented immigrants live in Mayotte.
It was difficult to determine the exact death toll after the cyclone, which also raised concerns about access to food, water and sanitation, officials said.
“As for the number of victims, it will be complicated, because Mayotte is a Muslim land where the dead are buried within 24 hours,” a French Interior Ministry official previously said.
Located almost 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles) from Paris and a four-day journey by sea, Mayotte is significantly poorer than the rest of France and has struggled with gang violence and social unrest for decades.
Around 77% of Mayotte’s population lives below the French poverty line.
Tensions were fueled earlier this year by water shortages.
The cyclone hit northern Mozambique on Sunday, but the full extent of the impact was unclear. Internet monitor NetBlocks said on X (formerly Twitter) that heavy rain and winds had damaged electrical and telecommunications infrastructure.
France colonized Mayotte in 1843 and annexed the entire archipelago, including the Comoros, in 1904.
In a 1974 referendum, 95% backed separation, but 63% in Mayotte voted to remain French. Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli declared their independence in 1975. Mayotte is still governed from Paris.