The New York Times' latest storm news said that Typhoon Chido made landfall in Mozambique on December 15 after causing heavy destruction and killing several people in Mayotte - a French archipelago of about 300,000 people in the Indian Ocean.
Typhoon Chido had sustained winds of 185 km/h on December 15, according to the US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). With this intensity, Typhoon Chido became a storm as strong as a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic.
Previously, on December 14, storm Chido swept through northern Madagascar and attacked Mayotte - an island about 800 km east of Mozambique.
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said preliminary counts showed several people had died as a result of Typhoon Chido but could not yet provide an exact figure.
President Emmanuel Macron said on social media that the French government was supporting relief efforts in Mayotte.
Mayotte has two main islands and a total area of about 375 km2. Mayotte has the highest population density of any French overseas territory.
CNN's latest storm report, citing data from the French weather agency, said Typhoon Chido brought winds exceeding 220 km/h, tearing metal roofs off houses in Mayotte.
“Our island has suffered the most violent and destructive storm since 1934. Many of us have lost everything,” said Mayotte Governor Francois-Xavier Bieuville.
The French Interior Ministry said 1,600 police and gendarmes were deployed to “help people and prevent the risk of looting” after Typhoon Chido swept through the country.
The Comoros state – a group of islands north of Mayotte – was also hit by Chido and the highest alert level has been declared in some areas. Comoros authorities have expressed concern about a group of 11 fishermen who went out to sea earlier this week and have so far received no response.
Comoros authorities have ordered all ships to dock in ports, closed the main airport and government offices. Schools were ordered closed on December 13 in response to the storm.
Chido is expected to continue its eastward trajectory after hitting Mozambique, according to forecasters. Mozambique's disaster agency has warned that 2.5 million people could be affected in the northern provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula.
The landlocked countries of Malawi and Zimbabwe are also preparing for a powerful storm. Malawi's Disaster Management Department has predicted flooding in some areas and has urgently advised people to move to higher ground. In Zimbabwe, authorities have warned people to prepare to evacuate.
December to March is the cyclone season in the southeastern Indian Ocean and southern Africa has seen a series of strong storms in recent years.
Cyclone Idai in 2019 killed more than 1,300 people in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Cyclone Freddy killed more than 1,000 people in several African countries last year.
Hurricanes are getting worse due to climate change, studies say, and could leave poor southern African countries facing major humanitarian crises.
