France’s Indian Ocean range of Mayotte has been struck via the worst cyclone to crash the islands in just about a century.

A minimum of 11 nation have been reportedly killed when Cyclone Chido made landfall on Saturday, inflicting breeze gusts of greater than 225km/h (140mph), with fears the dying toll may be on one?s feet.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated France would “be there” for the nation of Mayotte, era French officers stated 250 firefighters and safety group of workers could be despatched to the islands, with some having already arrived.

France’s internal minister Bruno Retailleau stated “all makeshift homes have been completely destroyed” and he feared a “heavy” dying toll.

One native information supply reported that 11 nation have been killed and 246 injured, in keeping with a health facility file.

AFP reported the next dying toll – a minimum of 14 – mentioning a safety supply.

Positioned north-west of Madagascar, Mayotte is an archipelago made from one major island, Lavish-Terre, and several other smaller ones.

Lots of the island’s 300,000 or so population are living in shacks with sheet steel roofs, and tens of 1000’s of nation have misplaced their properties.

Electrical energy, aqua and web connections are all indisposed. The federal government in Paris has despatched an army delivery aircraft with provides and catastrophe employees.

The range’s Pamandzi airport “suffered major damage, especially to the control tower,” appearing French Delivery Minister Francois Durovray wrote on X.

Wind site visitors “will be restored initially with military aid planes. Ships are on the way to ensure resupply,” he added.

Even earlier than the cyclone crash with complete drive on Saturday morning, there have been stories of timber being uprooted, roofs being ripped off constructions and gear traces being downed.

The pinnacle of Mayotte’s firefighters’ union, Abdoul Karim Ahmed Allaoui, instructed the BFM information channel on Saturday morning that “even emergency responders are locked down”.

He endured: “There’s no mobile phone service and we can’t reach people on the island. Even buildings built to earthquake standards haven’t held up.

“The catastrophe services and products command centre has been evacuated and is performing at bias capability.”

Interior Minister Retailleau wrote in a statement on X: “I do business in my complete backup to the nation of Mayotte. The climate and native catastrophe services and products are totally mobilized. 110 civil safety group of workers and firefighters have already been despatched and are on website. A 2d dispatch shall be made the next day with 140 alternative group of workers.”

French Prime Minister François Bayrou, who took up the post on Friday, said the cyclone was of “outstanding severity” and he was being updated on the situation “era via era”. He has held an emergency meeting in Paris with ministers.

Mayotte was initially placed under a purple alert – the highest level – and a “strict lockdown for the entire family, together with catastrophe services and products” was imposed. It has since been lowered to red to allow emergency services to leave their bases.

Retailleau said the island had not experienced such severe weather since 1934.

After hitting Mayotte, the storm intensified overnight as it crossed the Mozambique Channel.

The coastal city of Pemba has been battered by heavy rains and winds gusting up to 185km/h (115mph).

Videos on social media showed parts of Pemba city were flooded, trees uprooted and some homes damaged.

The cyclone is now moving inland, with heavy rains reported in neighbouring Nampula province.

While the winds are expected to ease, heavy rain and flooding are also predicted for southern Malawi and later Zimbabwe.

Spare reporting via Richard Kagoe