Mayotte: Several hundred feared dead after Cyclone Chido

Rescuers comb through the debris in the French Indian Ocean territory hit by the worst storm in 90 years.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersMayotte: 'It feels like nuclear war aftermath' after cyclone, residents sayGetty ImagesMany houses had sheet-metal roofs which were easily blown awayResidents of Mayotte have spoken of "apocalyptic scenes" caused by the worst storm in 90 years to hit the French Indian Ocean territory.

Cyclone Chido brought wind speeds of more than 225km/h (140mph), flattening areas where the poorest lived in sheet-metal roof shacks.

"We've had no water for three days now," said one resident of the capital city Mamoudzou. "Some of my neighbours are hungry and thirsty," another one said.

Rescue workers, including reinforcements from France, are combing through the debris searching for survivors. Twenty people have been confirmed dead, but the local prefect said it could be thousands.

Authorities said they were having difficulty establishing the number of deaths due to the large number of undocumented migrants - over 100,000 - in a population of 320,000.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c205wnvlqn6o

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