Thousands feared dead after devastating cyclone hits French territory of Mayotte
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Up to 1,000 people in the French territory of Mayotte could be dead after a devastating cyclone tore through the region, according to the island’s top official. Mayotte, a remote island in the Indian Ocean, is one of several countries to be impacted by Cyclone Chido, which has wrecked local infrastructure and left ‘several hundreds’ potentially dead.
![[epa11778703 A handout photo made available by the French Army on 15 December 2024 shows soldiers removing fallen trees in the French overseas territory of Mayotte. At least 14 people were killed and more than 200 injured after tropical cyclone Chido battered the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte on 14 December, authorities said. EPA/ETAT-MAJOR DES ARMEE HANDOUT -- BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE -- MANDATORY CREDIT: ETAT-MAJOR DES ARMEE -- HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_233339016-d6ea.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Speaking to local media, Mayotte Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville said: ‘I think there are some several hundred dead, maybe we’ll get close to a thousand, even thousands… given the violence of this event.’. The official said it was currently ‘extremely difficult’ to get an exact number after practically all communication lines on the island have been taken out by the cyclone.
![[This photograph shows a pile of debris of metal sheets and wood after the cyclone Chido hit France's Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, on December 14, 2024 in the capital Mamoudzou. At least 14 people were killed in Mayotte when a fierce cyclone battered the French Indian Ocean territory, authorities said on December 15, 2024, with officials warning it will take days to know the full toll. (Photo by Daniel MOUHAMADI / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL MOUHAMADI/AFP via Getty Images)]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_233329675-2444.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
At least 11 people have died so far, with nine more confirmed to be critically injured. A hospital in Mayotte reported that 246 others were injured with fears the death toll will rise significantly over the coming days. The tropical cyclone blew through the southeastern Indian Ocean, also affecting the nearby islands of Comoros and Madagascar.
![[A photo taken on December 15, 2024 shows residents sitting by a road among piles of debris of metal sheets and wood after the cyclone Chido hit France's Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte. At least 14 people were killed in Mayotte when a fierce cyclone battered the French Indian Ocean territory, authorities said on December 15, 2024, with officials warning it will take days to know the full toll. (Photo by KWEZI / AFP) (Photo by KWEZI/AFP via Getty Images)]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_233310165-0025.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Mayotte was directly in the path of the cyclone and suffered extensive damage on Saturday, officials said. The prefect of Mayotte said it was the worst cyclone to hit Mayotte in 90 years. The ministry said 1,600 police and gendarmerie officers have been deployed to ‘help the population and prevent potential looting’.
