Paris, Dec 15 (EFE).- At least 14 people have been confirmed dead in Mayotte, the French archipelago in the Indian Ocean, following the devastating passage of Tropical Cyclone Chido, officials said on Saturday.
Local authorities described it as the most destructive storm to hit the group of islands since 1934.
Nine people remain in critical condition, and 246 others have sustained varying degrees of injuries, according to the latest provisional reports.
The cyclone, with winds gusting up to 220 km per hour, wreaked havoc across the islands, particularly in Mamoudzou, the capital of the archipelago located north of Madagascar.
Officials warned that the death toll is likely to rise as emergency teams reach slum neighborhoods and other precarious housing areas, which house an estimated 100,000 residents.
These settlements have been nearly obliterated by the storm’s ferocity, leaving many unaccounted for.
Critical infrastructure, including most roads and the international airport in Mamoudzou, has been severely damaged.
The airport’s control tower is inoperable, and the region is facing widespread power outages and a lack of drinking water.
In response, the French government has dispatched an initial contingent of 140 military personnel and rescue firefighters from mainland France, with plans to increase the deployment to 800.
A military A400M transport aircraft carrying humanitarian aid has also been sent to the archipelago to address urgent needs. EFE
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