Cyclone Chido

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Intense Tropical Cyclone Chido

Cyclone Chido at peak intensity on 12 December.
Meteorological history
Formed	7 December 2024
Remnant low	16 December 2024
Dissipated	17 December 2024
Intense tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (MFR)
Highest winds	215 km/h (130 mph)
Highest gusts	295 km/h (185 mph)
Lowest pressure	935 hPa (mbar); 27.61 inHg
Category 4-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds	250 km/h (155 mph)
Lowest pressure	929 hPa (mbar); 27.43 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities	63+ (confirmed) "hundreds-to-thousands" (estimated)
Injuries	1,721+
Missing	"Thousands"
Damage	Unknown
Areas affected	Mauritius (particularly Agaléga) Seychelles (particularly Farquhar) northern Madagascar Mayotte Comoros Mozambique Malawi
IBTrACS / [1]
Part of the 2024–25 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

Intense Tropical Cyclone Chido was a small but very powerful and deadly tropical cyclone which impacted Southeast Africa in December 2024. The fourth tropical disturbance, the second tropical cyclone, and the second intense tropical cyclone of the 2024–25 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, Chido formed from a tropical disturbance southeast of Diego Garcia that was first noted on 5 December 2024. It continued westward, and steadily intensified before being named Chido on 8 December. After it underwent rapid intensification, Chido made landfall at Agaléga in Mauritius on 11 December, peaking in intensity the following day. After passing through northern Madagascar, Chido briefly weakened but quickly regained intensity, before making its second landfall near Bandraboua, Mayotte on 14 December, before slightly weakening again later that day and making a third landfall near Pemba, Mozambique the following day; Chido made all three of its landfalls as a Category 4-equivalent intense tropical cyclone.

Chido killed at least 63 people; 34 in Mozambique, 22 in Mayotte and seven in Malawi, along with over 1,700 injuries. Mayotte in particular experienced severe damage from Chido, with thousands of residents unaccounted for, most shanty towns completely destroyed and 85% of the island being left without power by 16 December. In Mozambique, 35,000 homes were severely damaged or destroyed and entire communities were destroyed, and nearly all structures in Agaléga were decimated by the cyclone. Relatively minor damage also occurred in the Comoros and Madagascar.

On 5 December, the Météo-France (MFR) noted that a tropical disturbance formed southeast of Diego Garcia. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center began tracking the system later that day. Late on 7 December, the MFR designated the system as Tropical Depression 04. At 18:00 UTC the following day, the system intensified into Tropical Storm Chido. Chido continued to strengthen, eventually becoming a Severe Tropical Storm later on 10 December. On 11 December, Chido developed an eye, and rapidly strengthened into a Category 4-equivalent intense tropical cyclone, as it made landfall at Agaléga in Mauritius, making Chido the strongest tropical cyclone to directly affect the island since Cyclone Andry in 1983.^[2] The next day, Chido intensified further, peaking as an intense tropical cyclone, with 1-minute sustained winds exceeding 155 mph (249 km/h).

Shortly before traversing past the northern tip of Madagascar, Chido weakened on 13 December, but as it neared Mayotte, it quickly re-intensified, making its second landfall near Bandraboua by 12:00 UTC on 14 December; Chido became the most powerful cyclone ever to make landfall on the island. The cyclone briefly continued to intensify before weakening again, while heading towards mainland Africa in a west-southwestward direction. However, it would still maintain Category 4 when it made landfall south of the city of Pemba in Mozambique the next day, making Chido the most powerful cyclone to made landfall in the country since Cyclone Kenneth in 2019. By 12:00 UTC, Chido weakened to a tropical storm, and then a remnant low the following day, when it was last noted by the JTWC at 18:00 UTC.^[3]

In Agaléga, residents sought refuge at an airport terminal.^[4]

In Madagascar, officials said that although damage from Chido would likely be minor, due to the characteristics of the cyclone and the capacity of the area expected to be affected, access to the north of the island would be challenging as national roads were still damaged from previous cyclones. However, the National Office for Risk and Catastrophe Management (BNGRC) deployed food stocks to northern Madagascar, in addition to the stocks already available through partners. UNICEF planned to mobilize a United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) flight to preposition items in the north where stock levels are relatively low. OCHA, in support of BNGRC, conducted a refresher training on aerial and rapid multi-sector needs assessment for about 40 inter-agency teams, which would be mobilized at any time if a post-cyclone assessment was needed. Madagascar Red Cross branches were alerted, disaster response teams were identified and early warning system (EWS) equipment was deployed. Humanitarian partners continued to monitor the situation to assess required support. Three teams of BNGRC were deployed to Antsiranana, Vohemar and Ambilobe to support anticipatory actions conducted at a local level including preventive evacuations. The Red Cross also carried out awareness-raising campaigns in Sava and Sofia Regions through its crisis modifier window.^[5]

It has been reported that residents of Mayotte ignored the cyclone warnings in the 24 hours before the storm hit, underestimating its severity. Some chose to remain in their homes out of fear that they may be looted, while others avoided shelters out of fear of deportation. It is estimated that close to a third of the population of Mayotte, about 100,000 people, is made up of undocumented migrants.^[6]

Meteorological officials in the Comoros issued an orange weather alert that would be issued on 13 December. On that day, the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Civile (DGSC) decreed the official activation of the Cyclone-induced Flood Rescue Plan and the national emergency operational centre would help monitor the storm's effects. The Comorian Red Cross in Anjouan and Mohéli were confined during the cyclone’s passing. Residents were also advised to follow forecasts through their national meteorological service. Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport was closed from 13 to 16 December.^[7]

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that over 1.7 million people in Mozambique could be affected by winds exceeding 120 km/h (75 mph), and that the cyclone may exacerbate a cholera outbreak affecting the country.^[5] The Mozambique National Institute of Meteorology issued red alerts for Cabo Delgado and Nampula Provinces and recommended that all civilians must take precautionary and safety measures. The Mozambique Red Cross Society and World Food Programme implemented anticipatory actions following the activation by the Technical Council for Disaster Management for Mogincual and Angoche Districts. Partners also conducted an assessment mission in Cabo Delgado, visiting accommodation sites to provide inputs in the updated list of accommodation centers.^[7]

The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS) issued a warning for 15 districts expected to be in the path of Chido. Some districts were forecast to receive over 50 mm (2.0 in) of rain within 24 hours, with possibilities of flooding, strong winds and damage to infrastructure. The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) convened daily meetings in response to the cyclone's potential impact. On 14 December, the DoDMA agreed that a centralised Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) would be set-up in Blantyre and remain operational from 15 December. The country's goverment initiated the district response coordination mechanism to scale up the preparedness efforts. All response sectors, including the drone team, were activated and are in progress of prepositioning key response stocks in strategic areas in southern Malawi.^[7]

Authorities in Zimbabwe said that Chido was likely to affect the country by 17 December, with heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides likely.^[8] OCHA also reported that Chido may exacerbate rainfall in Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Tanzania and South Africa.^[7]

Chido was the strongest storm to strike Agaléga since 1983.^[9] North Agaléga was reportedly "devastated" by Chido, with strong gusts and an 8 m (26 ft) storm surge destroying 95% of the island's buildings, including a hospital, while 98% of structures were decimated at South Agaléga.^[10][11][4] Communications were cut off following the passage of the eye overnight from 11–12 December. A tugboat ran aground in the reefs just north of the islands, sparking concerns of a possible oil spill.^[12]

In Madagascar, minor damage, mild flooding and power outages were reported in Antsiranana.^[13]

At least 22 people were killed and over 1,400 were injured by Chido in Mayotte,^[14] with hundreds and possibly thousands more feared dead.^[15] Thousands more were declared missing on the island.^[16] Wind speeds reached 226 km/h (140 mph) at Dzaoudzi–Pamandzi International Airport,^[17] which suffered severe damage in the cyclone.^[18] Numerous homes were badly damaged and debris covered streets throughout the island.^[19] In the capital, Mamoudzou, most homes, administrative buildings and part of the town hall were severely damaged, with entire shanty towns reported destroyed.^[20] Mayotte's prefect François-Xavier Bieuville said Chido was the most violent and destructive cyclone since 1934.^[21] More than 15,000 homes lost electricity.^[22] The French Interior Ministry estimated 70% of the territory's population was severely affected.^[23]

In Anjouan, two people were injured and five houses were destroyed, with mosques, other houses and poultry coops suffering damage. In Grande Comore, 11 fishermen were declared missing but were found on 15 December. Chido also brought strong winds heavy rains to Mohéli, causing crop damage.^[24][7]

At least 34 people were killed and 319 were injured by Chido in Mozambique,^[25] where an estimated two million people were estimated to have been affected.^[26] Nearly 35,000 homes were destroyed or severely damaged in the country, along with 70 classrooms, 10 health facilities and nine schools.^[25] Many homes, schools and health facilities were destroyed in Pemba, where communications were cut off by the cyclone.^[27] Damage in rural areas outside the city was reportedly much more severe,^[28] with 100% of homes damaged in Mecúfi District; 99% of homes were destroyed in the town of Murrebue, with two schools being the only structures left standing there, and in neighboring Chiúre District, 40% of homes were destroyed and 60% suffered roof damage.^[25]

Over 1,800 homes and 8,100 people were affected by flooding caused by Chido in southern Malawi, with seven deaths recorded in the country,^[14] including two in Blantyre and one in Machinga. Schools and health facilities were also damaged in the country.^[29]

On 16 December, Comoros declared a week of national mourning due to Chido's impact on Mayotte, which is predominantly inhabited by Comorans.^[30] At France's National Assembly, a minute of silence was held on 16 December.^[31] French prefect François-Xavier Bieuville added it would be extremely hard to count fatalities and many might never be recorded, partly due to the Muslim tradition of burying people within 24 hours. The French Interior Ministry said 1,600 police and gendarmerie officers were deployed to Mayotte to help residents and prevent looting, with 800 more expected to arrive in the coming days. Due to damage to Dzaoudzi–Pamandzi International Airport, operations there were limited to military aircraft. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau visited Mamoudzou on 16 December. President Emmanuel Macron, who promised urgent help, was set to host a meeting on the situation at the Interior Ministry’s crisis center in Paris later that day. Illegal immigrants had also avoided shelters during the cyclone out of deportation fears.^[26] Macron also declared a period of national mourning.^[32] By 16 December, 85% of Mayotte's households were still without power.^[31] Additional personnel were also brought in from Réunion.^[33]

Due to Chido, schools were closed in most districts in southern Malawi on 16 December.^[29]

• Weather in 2024
• Tropical cyclones in 2024
• Tropical cyclones in the Comoros Islands

• Cyclone Kamisy (1984) – Another cyclone that followed a similar track and severely impacted Mayotte

• Cyclone Kenneth (2019) – Made landfall in a similar region at a similar intensity in Mozambique
• Cyclone Gombe (2022) – Another strong cyclone that made landfall in the same region

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cyclone Chido.

• MFR Track Data of Tropical Cyclone Chido (in French)
• JTWC Best Track Data of Tropical Cyclone 04S (Chido)