Cyclone Shido Devastates Poor Area of France

World

At least 14 people have died as a result of Cyclone Shido in Mayotte, a French overseas territory. The cyclone struck the island with wind speeds reaching 226 km/h. According to officials, this is the most powerful storm in the last 90 years, devastating the island in the Indian Ocean.

Cyclone Shido Devastates Poor Area of France
According to the French meteorological service, wind speeds exceeded 220 km/h. The island, located 8,000 km from Paris, between Mozambique and Madagascar, has a population of over 300,000. The storm ripped roofs off houses on the island.

"Our island has been hit by the strongest and most destructive cyclone since 1934. Many of us have lost everything," wrote François-Xavier Biéville, the Prefect of Mayotte, on Facebook.

French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on the platform X that a plane loaded with aid is on its way to Mayotte. Transport Minister François Durovray added that Mayotte's airport has suffered "severe damage, especially to the control tower."

According to local media, thousands of homes are without electricity, small buildings have been destroyed, and many trees have been uprooted.

Mayotte is the poorest department in the Fifth Republic, with one-third of its population living in slums and tin-roofed shelters.

Paris's sovereignty over this territory is disputed by the Comoros. Mayotte has been experiencing a severe migration crisis in recent years.

Powered by Froala Editor

Share with friends