Cyclone Chido Devastates Mayotte: Deadliest Storm in 90 Years

Cyclone Chido Devastates Mayotte: Deadliest Storm in 90 Years \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Cyclone Chido, the strongest storm to hit Mayotte in 90 years, has claimed at least 22 lives and caused widespread destruction. The storm underscores the increasing intensity of cyclones in southeast Africa, fueled by climate change and warmer ocean waters. With inadequate early warning systems across the region, vulnerable communities remain at high risk during cyclone season, which runs from December to March.

Cyclone Chido’s Impact on Mayotte: Quick Looks

• Cyclone Chido caused catastrophic damage, killing at least 22 people in Mayotte.
• Scientists link rising cyclone intensity to human-driven climate change and warmer oceans.
• Southeast Africa’s cyclone season spans December to March, peaking with warm sea temperatures.
• Inadequate early warning systems leave African nations poorly prepared for extreme weather.
• The UN’s initiative aims to provide global access to weather alerts within five years.

Deep Look

Cyclone Chido, which tore through Mayotte over the weekend, has left the Indian Ocean archipelago reeling from its most devastating storm in nearly a century. The cyclone, which made landfall on Saturday, brought catastrophic winds, torrential rains, and storm surges that swept away entire neighborhoods, leaving at least 22 people dead and countless others displaced.

The storm underscores the growing threat of extreme weather fueled by climate change, particularly in vulnerable regions like southeast Africa, where limited resources and infrastructure exacerbate the impact of natural disasters.

Cyclone Chido: A Trail of Destruction

Chido’s landfall wreaked havoc across Mayotte, a French territory off Africa’s southeast coast. High winds uprooted trees, damaged infrastructure, and leveled entire communities. The devastation has left the island in crisis, as rescue and recovery efforts struggle to keep pace with the scale of destruction.

While Mayotte grapples with the aftermath, climate scientists warn that such storms are becoming more frequent and intense due to human-driven global warming.

“This is not just a natural disaster but a wake-up call about the consequences of climate change,” a climate expert noted.

Cyclone Season in Southeast Africa

Cyclone season in southeast Africa spans December through March when sea surface temperatures reach their annual peak. Warm waters, essential for cyclone formation, fuel the intensity of these storms.

Recent years have seen a spate of destructive cyclones during the southern hemisphere summer, including:

• Cyclone Freddy (2023): Struck Madagascar and Mozambique, causing widespread destruction.
• Cyclone Batsirai (2022): Ravaged Madagascar and left over 100,000 people homeless.
• Cyclone Idai (2019): One of the deadliest storms in the region, killing over 1,000 people across Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.

Cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons are different names for the same weather phenomenon, depending on the region.

How Climate Change Fuels Stronger Cyclones

Global temperatures have risen by 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels due to the burning of fossil fuels. This warming is causing sea surface temperatures to climb, with devastating consequences for tropical storms.

Key impacts of warmer oceans on cyclones include:

• Stronger Winds: Higher temperatures increase the energy available to storms, intensifying wind speeds.
• Heavier Rainfall: Warmer air holds more moisture, leading to torrential rains that cause flooding.
• Destructive Storm Surges: Rising sea levels amplify the impact of storm surges, flooding coastal areas.

Chido thrived on ocean temperatures near 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit), well above the 27-degree threshold for cyclone formation.

In 2022, scientists confirmed that climate change worsened cyclones in southeast Africa, although insufficient weather data in the region made it difficult to quantify the exact impact.

The Shortage of Early Warning Systems

Africa’s ability to prepare for and respond to extreme weather is hampered by a lack of early warning infrastructure. The continent has just 37 weather radar stations, compared to 347 in Europe and 291 in North America, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

This disparity leaves vulnerable nations ill-equipped to predict and prepare for cyclones. Without timely alerts, evacuation efforts are delayed, resulting in higher death tolls and greater destruction. Cyclone Idai, which killed over 1,000 people, highlighted the deadly consequences of insufficient forecasting.

Global Efforts to Improve Forecasting

Recognizing the urgent need for better warning systems, the United Nations launched a project in 2022 to provide every person worldwide with access to early weather warnings within five years.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo has emphasized the importance of this initiative, calling adaptation to climate change an “essential necessity.”

“Improved forecasting and communication can save lives and reduce the impact of extreme weather events,” Saulo said.

Mayotte’s Recovery and Future Preparedness

As Mayotte begins to recover from Cyclone Chido, the disaster serves as a stark reminder of the region’s vulnerability to extreme weather. The storm has reignited calls for greater investment in forecasting technology, infrastructure resilience, and global efforts to combat climate change.

“Mayotte’s tragedy is part of a larger pattern of climate-driven disasters that demand urgent action,” said a humanitarian aid worker.

Conclusion

Cyclone Chido’s devastating impact on Mayotte highlights the growing threat of extreme weather fueled by climate change. With storms becoming more intense and frequent, vulnerable regions like southeast Africa face mounting challenges in protecting lives and infrastructure. Global initiatives to improve weather forecasting and adapt to climate change are critical to reducing the human and economic toll of these disasters.

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