The imminent arrival of Cyclone Chido in the Indian Ocean is causing growing concern. The islands of Comoros, Madagascar and Mayotte are bracing for the violent tropical storm, waiting anxiously for its landfall. Authorities in the Comoros, a small archipelago, have taken emergency measures, ordering schools to close in anticipation of Chido’s arrival early Saturday. Before that, the cyclone was expected to brush northern Madagascar. France, Mayotte’s neighbor, has placed Mayotte on red alert from Friday night, the highest alert level.
In Mozambique on the African continent, the northern provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula have also issued a red alert, predicting that more than 2 million people could be affected when Chido makes landfall, expected early Sunday. Mozambique’s National Meteorological Institute has warned of winds of up to 200 km/h. Ana Cristiana, director of the National Emergency Operations Center, said it was initially estimated that up to 2.5 million people in the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula could be affected and would need to be evacuated.
Even landlocked Zimbabwe is bracing for the aftermath of Chido, authorities said.
In Madagascar, alerts were sent to mobile phones and broadcast on the radio starting Thursday to warn people to take precautions. Evacuations were underway in the northern Diana region, where the cyclone’s impact is expected to be greatest. Authorities issued a warning of imminent danger for residents in that area, saying up to 20,000 people could be affected.
Malagasy authorities began delivering food and emergency supplies such as water pumps, generators and chainsaws to the region on Tuesday.
The French government is sending about 110 people to Mayotte to help with damage, including rescue workers from the mainland and firefighters from neighboring Réunion, as well as three tons of emergency equipment. The assistance includes search dogs and urban rescue specialists, the head of Mayotte’s departmental fire and rescue service, Colonel Frédéric Leguillier, told local public radio.
The cyclone season, which runs from December to March, is a dreaded time in the region, often buffeted by violent storms from the Indian Ocean in recent years. Cyclone Idai in 2019 killed more than 1,300 people in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, while Cyclone Freddy caused more than 1,000 deaths in several countries last year.
Studies confirm that cyclones have become more intense due to climate change.
Crisis24, a risk management firm, has warned that Cyclone Chido could cause devastating floods and landslides, while stagnant waters could then cause outbreaks of cholera, dengue fever and malaria, as happened after Idai.