The department of Mayotte placed on orange alert as cyclone Dikeledi approaches, announces the prefecture

“Given the fragility of the territory following the passage of Chido, the prefect therefore calls for the extreme vigilance of the entire population,” specify the authorities.

A new threat looms over an already battered archipelago. The department of Mayotte was placed on Saturday, January 11 at 8 a.m. (6 a.m. in Paris), on orange cyclone alert in anticipation of the passage of Dikeledi near this archipelago in the Indian Ocean, announced the prefecture of Mayotte.

“A significant deterioration in weather conditions is therefore expected this evening: heavy stormy precipitation, strong gusts of wind and risk of marine submersion”specify the authorities, less than a month after the devastating passage of Cyclone Chido.

The orange level immediately implies “stopping barge traffic” (local ferries), also informed the prefecture of this overseas department on X. “Given the fragility of the territory following the passage of Chido, the prefect therefore calls for the extreme vigilance of the entire population: we must seriously prepare for the possibility of the cyclone passing as closely as possible and for the outbreak of the red alert”further specifies the prefect.

Cyclone Dikeledi is expected to pass 80 to 100 km south of the island on Sunday midday, according to the Overseas Ministry. Some 725 civil security personnel are prepositioned with medical teams and 71 emergency accommodation centers are ready, specifies the ministry.

In its latest bulletin, Météo-France forecasts “a significant rainy and windy deterioration” at the time of Dikeledi’s passage near the archipelago, evoking “very heavy rains which could cause flooding”. However, forecasters anticipate a weakening of Dikeledi during the night from Saturday to Sunday “at the stage of a strong tropical storm, before circulating off the south of Mayotte during the day on Sunday”. At 3:34 a.m. local time (1:34 a.m. in Paris) on Saturday, Dikeledi was 800 km east of Mayotte, according to Météo-France.

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 ninety 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.

Cyclones usually develop in the Indian Ocean from November to March, but this year surface waters are close to 30°C in the area, providing more energy for storms, a global warming phenomenon also observed this fall in the North Atlantic and the Pacific.