No respite for Mayotte. The island, heavily affected by Cyclone Chido, was placed on orange cyclone alert on Saturday in anticipation of the passage of Dikeledi near this archipelago in the Indian Ocean, announced the prefecture of Mayotte. The orange level immediately implies “the cessation of barge traffic”, the prefecture of this overseas department specified on X, warning against “a significant deterioration in weather conditions” from Saturday evening.
“We must seriously prepare for the possibility of the cyclone passing as closely as possible and the red alert being triggered,” warned the prefecture of this overseas department of 320,000 inhabitants. In its latest bulletin, Météo-France forecasts “a significant rainy and windy deterioration” when Dikeledi passes near the archipelago, citing “very heavy rain which could cause flooding”. However, forecasters anticipate a weakening of Dikeledi during the night from Saturday to Sunday.
The entry into force of this orange alert comes less than a month after the passage of Cyclone Chido, the most devastating to hit the small archipelago in the Indian Ocean in 90 years. Chido caused colossal damage in the poorest department in France. The passage of this intense tropical cyclone left at least 39 dead and more than 5,600 injured, destroying many precarious and permanent homes in the 101st department of France. “Given the fragility of the territory following the passage of Chido, the prefect therefore calls for the extreme vigilance of the entire population,” warned the prefecture on X.
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