France observed a day of mourning on Monday for victims of Cyclone Chido, which devastated its poorest territory, Mayotte, over a week ago. The cyclone was the most destructive to hit the archipelago in 90 years, causing widespread damage to the island off Africa's east coast and leaving at least 35 dead and around 2,500 injured. The actual toll is likely much higher due to the extensive destruction, precarious living conditions for a large migrant population and others, and the Muslim practice of burying the dead within 24 hours. Locals said many victims had stayed home, not believing the storm would be so severe.
Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte on 14 December, disrupting water and electricity supplies and severing communications, leaving thousands displaced and many struggling to rebuild. Chido also hit southeastern Africa, where the National Institute of Risk and Disaster Management in Mozambique reported 94 fatalities.
German President Emmanuel Macron stood for a minute of silence at the Elysee Palace. He visited Mayotte days after the cyclone and expressed solidarity with the people, saying, "The people of Mayotte are in the hearts of all French people." This emotional tribute sought to connect the nation with the suffering on the ground.
Yet there have been heated criticisms from local officials, such as Mayotte lawmaker Estelle Youssouffa, who accused the French government of neglecting the island. Youssouffa expressed her disdain for the timing of new Prime Minister François Bayrou's expected cabinet reshuffle announcement, stating, "It’s disgraceful, contemptuous, and deeply mediocre. Nobody cares about Mayotte — it’s appalling!"
This is the first national day of mourning in response to a climate-related disaster since the Fifth Republic of France was established in the 1950s. Previous ones have been mainly to mourn former French presidents or victims of terrorist attacks.
During Macron's visit to the storm-ravaged Mayotte, he faced pleas for urgent help, as heavy rains continued to affect the already dire situation for approximately 100,000 people left homeless. The government's response appeared slow, particularly with thousands feared dead, prompting local lawmaker Youssouffa to report of people being buried in mass graves. "We are facing open-air mass graves, there are no rescuers, no one has come to collect the buried bodies," she reported.
Macron, who disembarked from his plane carrying four tonnes of food and medical aid, listened intently as airport workers begged for support. "Take your time. Stay with us. Give us solutions. Give us emergency help, because in Mayotte, there is nothing," airport security worker Assane Haloi urgently asked the President.
The cyclone not only destroyed homes but also dismantled the fragile infrastructure supporting basic resources. Many residents found their living conditions only worsened — "All the pipes are broken everywhere. There is no more water in Mayotte. We need water to do the housework, to cook, to wash, to bathe. To drink water, we buy it in the stores," said Zalahta M'Madi, highlighting the grim challenges facing survivors.
Local reports indicated difficulties accessing numerous neighborhoods, which have left thousands feeling abandoned. El-Yassine Ibrahim recounted seeing complete devastation, sharing, "When we got here it was all devastated, nothing was standing. Everything was ravaged. Since then, little by little, we’ve been sorting and gathering things."
The death toll does not solely remain within Mayotte; the effects of Cyclone Chido were felt across the Indian Ocean, with Mozambique confirming 94 fatalities and rising counts from Malawi as well.
With many homes lacking running water, residents crowded water distribution points and wells to fill up jerrycans and buckets as health workers braced for surging disease outbreaks amid concerns surrounding unsanitary conditions and unburied corpses. The official population figure for Mayotte is approximately 321,000, but estimates suggest it may be higher, complicate how the aftermath is managed.
Despite the scale of devastation and criticisms of neglect, Macron promised to send additional support, raising the number of gendarmes deployed from 800 to 1,200 and assuring communication services would be restored soon so anxious families can connect with loved ones.
Yet, as the world turns its attention to Mayotte, one fact remains painfully clear: the recovery process is just beginning for those grappling with the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, and will likely require international support and solidarity as they rebuild their lives.
