Military Aid Arrives in Mayotte as Officials Say Death Toll Could Reach Thousands

Mayotte has a population of about 321,000 and is made up of two main islands located in the southwestern Indian Ocean.

Damaged houses remain and debris lies on the ground after cyclone Chido swept through the French islands of Mayotte, in this screenshot taken from a handout video obtained by Reuters on Dec. 15, 2024. French Civil Security/Handout via Reuters

Emergency workers are scrambling to find survivors and restore services to Mayotte, an overseas department of France in the Indian Ocean where more than 1,000 are feared dead from the worst cyclone to hit the islands in almost a century.

French ships and military aircraft rushed to the islands on Dec. 16 after cyclone Chido ripped through parts of Mayotte with winds of more than 136 mph, according to the French weather service.