20 December 2024
Cyclone devastates Mayotte
Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte with unprecedented intensity, leaving 22 dead and highlighting how climate change fuels stronger storms.
Taiwo Adebayo reports for The Associated Press.
In short:
- Cyclone Chido is the most powerful storm to hit Mayotte in 90 years, destroying infrastructure and homes.
- Warmer ocean temperatures, caused by climate change, are intensifying cyclones, making them more destructive.
- Inadequate early-warning systems in Africa leave vulnerable regions unprepared, increasing death tolls.
Why this matters:
Rising ocean temperatures due to climate change mean cyclones are becoming deadlier and more frequent. Regions like southeast Africa, with limited forecasting infrastructure, suffer disproportionately. Without improved early-warning systems, lives and livelihoods remain at risk.
Read more: Fossil fuel-driven climate disasters are raising death tolls worldwide