Climate Journalism
Several Hundreds, Maybe Thousands, May Have Died In Mayotte Cyclone. How Human-Induced Climate Change Is the Culprit
Mayotte Cyclone
The French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte has been left devastated after Cyclone Chido, the most powerful storm in nearly a century, tore through the archipelago, leaving an untold number of deaths and widespread destruction.
While officials struggle with the staggering aftermath, the tragedy shines a harsh light on the intensifying impact of human-induced climate change, which continues to fuel such catastrophic weather events.
A Storm Like No Other
Cyclone Chido, with winds exceeding 200 kph (124 mph), struck Mayotte overnight, leveling entire neighborhoods, damaging critical infrastructure, and leaving thousands homeless.
Local resident Mohamed Ishmael likened the scene to “the aftermath of a nuclear war,” as he recounted seeing an entire neighborhood disappear. Aerial footage captured the destruction—hundreds of makeshift homes obliterated, coconut trees crashing through roofs, and capsized boats strewn across the shoreline.
For an island already struggling with poverty and social unrest, the cyclone’s impact has been nothing short of catastrophic.
More than three-quarters of Mayotte’s population lives below the French poverty line, and the region was already struggling with a severe water shortage earlier this year. Now, access to food, water, and sanitation has become a critical concern.
Counting the Uncountable
Prefect François-Xavier Bieuville estimated that “several hundreds, maybe even thousands” may have lost their lives, though a precise death toll may never be known. The island’s Muslim customs, which require burials within 24 hours, make tracking fatalities even more challenging.
The disaster has once again illustrated the precarious conditions faced by Mayotte’s most vulnerable communities, including those fleeing from neighboring Comoros in search of a better life.
A Climate Crisis Unfolding
Cyclone Chido is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling global trend of increasingly intense and frequent storms. Scientists have long warned that climate change, driven by human activities such as deforestation, industrial emissions, and the burning of fossil fuels, is making tropical cyclones more severe.
Warmer ocean temperatures provide the energy storms need to grow stronger, while rising sea levels exacerbate flooding in coastal regions.
The result? Disasters like the one unfolding in Mayotte are becoming alarmingly common.
The French President, Emmanuel Macron, expressed solidarity with the people of Mayotte, stating, “My thoughts are with our compatriots… who have lost everything, lost their lives.” However, words of comfort must now be followed by decisive action—not just in providing immediate aid but also in addressing the root causes of such calamities.
Global Injustice and the Price of Climate Inaction
Mayotte’s plight putforth a grim irony – the regions most affected by climate change are often those least responsible for it.
As a French overseas territory, Mayotte’s residents contribute minimally to global carbon emissions, yet they bear the brunt of the industrialized world’s environmental recklessness.
This disaster also raises broader questions about climate justice.
How can nations like France, which have historically contributed to global warming, take greater responsibility for protecting vulnerable regions?
The answer lies not only in reducing emissions but also in providing financial and technical support to help such regions adapt to an increasingly hostile climate.
Storms, Cyclones, Typhoons, Hurricanes. How Climate Change Is Amplifying Nature’s Fury
A tropical cyclone, often referred to as a hurricane or typhoon depending on its location, is one of nature’s most formidable forces. With wind speeds exceeding 118 km/h, these colossal storms wreak havoc on the regions they strike, leaving devastation in their wake.
Cyclones, Hurricanes, and Typhoons. What’s in a Name?
While the terminology may vary, the science remains the same.
Cyclones are referred to as hurricanes in the North Atlantic and typhoons in the Northeast Pacific. Elsewhere, they are simply called tropical cyclones.
Despite their differences in nomenclature, these storms share a common origin: they form over tropical oceans where the water temperature exceeds 26°C, and they require significant heat, humidity, and favorable wind conditions at altitude. However, cyclones rarely form in certain regions, such as the South Atlantic, where the waters are too cool.
Additionally, the Coriolis force—caused by Earth’s rotation—determines their movement, setting them in a clockwise motion in the Southern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. This same force is absent near the equator, making cyclones nearly non-existent in equatorial regions.
The Power of Categorization
Cyclones are classified on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which measures their wind speed and potential for destruction:
Category 1: Up to 154 km/h
Category 2: Up to 178 km/h
Category 3: Up to 209 km/h
Category 4: Up to 251 km/h
Category 5: Beyond 251 km/h
While this scale helps predict the potential impact of a cyclone, the sheer size and complexity of these storms—often covering at least 500 square kilometers—make them highly unpredictable. For instance, in 2017, Hurricane Maria intensified from a Category 1 to a Category 5 in just 24 hours, catching forecasters off guard and leaving communities unprepared.
Tracking Cyclone Activity
Advancements in satellite technology since the 1970s have revolutionized our ability to observe and track cyclone activity. This has provided climatologists with a robust database to study trends in cyclone behavior. However, comprehensive satellite coverage for the Pacific and Indian Oceans only became available in the 1980s, and systematic reconnaissance in the Atlantic began as recently as 1944.
Historical data from the HURDA NOAA database, dating back to 1851, offers valuable insights but is incomplete. Many cyclones likely went unrecorded before systematic monitoring began, leaving gaps in our understanding of long-term trends.
The Rising Tide of Cyclonic Activity
Since the 1970s, tropical cyclone activity has increased, particularly in the North Atlantic. This uptick became even more pronounced in the 2000s, with 2005 marking a record-breaking year of 27 cyclonic systems—far surpassing the usual average of ten per year.
The year 2020 also witnessed intense cyclone activity. Hurricane Laura, for instance, made landfall in Louisiana as a near-Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 240 km/h, making it one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the state in over 150 years.
Human Activity The Catalyst Behind the Chaos
The growing intensity and frequency of cyclones are closely linked to climate change. Warmer ocean temperatures, fueled by global warming, provide cyclones with more energy, allowing them to grow stronger and sustain their power for longer periods.
Rising sea levels, another consequence of climate change, exacerbate storm surges, leading to greater flooding and destruction in coastal areas.
Moreover, erratic weather patterns and shifts in atmospheric conditions caused by climate change are making cyclones more unpredictable. Rapid intensification, like that seen with Hurricane Maria, is becoming more common, leaving communities with little time to prepare.
Nature’s Warning Signs. Mayotte Cyclone
Cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons are not just meteorological events; they are nature’s way of signaling that something is amiss. As these storms grow more powerful and unpredictable, they show the consequences of inaction.
The question is no longer whether climate change is real—it is whether we are prepared to confront it head-on. For the sake of our planet and future generations.