“One year after Cyclone Chido, the situation in Mayotte remains critical”
Cyclone Chido devastated the French department of Mayotte on December 14, 2024. Although the government intervened massively to deal with the emergency, promises of structural reconstruction seem far from being fulfilled. Interview with Mayotte geographer Fahad Idaroussi Tsimanda.
Fahad Idaroussi Tsimanda, University of Montpellier
The Conversation: One year after Chido, what is the status of reconstruction?
Fahad Idaroussi Tsimanda: On December 14, 2024, Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte and damaged 80% of the island's territory (nearly 60% of homes were damaged or completely destroyed, as well as numerous infrastructure, agricultural and natural areas). It was a major humanitarian disaster, despite an official death toll of only 40 and 41 missing. The government quickly mobilized significant emergency resources after declaring a state of exceptional natural disaster. More than 4,000 civil security, police, gendarmerie, and army personnel were deployed to the area. Humanitarian aid was distributed on a massive scale, including packs of water, potatoes, bananas, flour, oil, etc. The restoration of roads and the main drinking water and electricity networks was completed after about a month.
There was also strong political mobilization during 2025. To formalize and oversee the island's reconstruction, the government passed an emergency law in February 2025, followed by a law for the rebuilding of Mayotte, setting out an investment plan of €4 billion over several years. These texts were supplemented by ordinances aimed at accelerating reconstruction, in particular by temporarily adapting building regulations to facilitate the reconstruction of destroyed housing.
However, our observation is that, beyond the emergency, structural reconstruction has still not taken place and the situation remains critical on the ground. We are still a long way from what the people of Mayotte expected. According to figures from Congresswoman Estelle Youssouffa, very little money has been spent: only €25 million since the beginning of the year, or about 0.6% of the total promised budget of €4 billion.
I noticed that in the capital, Mamoudzou, several public buildings (those belonging to the Department of Mayotte, the town hall, the police station, the inter-municipal authority, etc.) are still covered with tarpaulins. At the Mayotte hospital, roofing work is underway, but most of it has already been completed.
As far as individuals are concerned, a zero-interest reconstruction loan was promised to the people of Mayotte, to households affected by the disaster, with a budget of €50,000. But I don't know anyone around me who has benefited from it. Some residents have already rebuilt, while others are just starting their projects.
I am a teacher, and I see that the situation in schools is still very poor, with many classrooms unavailable, which leads to overcrowding in each class. It is estimated that 40% of schools were destroyed or damaged during the cyclone. Closed classrooms force students to attend a limited number of hours of class on a rotation basis.
The slums were devastated by Chido. What has happened in these neighborhoods over the past year? François Bayrou, the prime minister at the time, pledged to block their reconstruction. Has this been the case?
F. I. T.: The day after Chido passed, migrant families living in slums rebuilt their homes. The prefect of Mayotte prohibited individuals from purchasing sheet metal if they could not provide proof of residence, in order to prevent the reconstruction of slums. However, it was very easy to get around this by using a neighbor's proof of address. Those who could afford it bought sheet metal and rafters. Others reused the warped sheet metal and cut down fallen coconut trees for the structures.
The idea of rebuilding permanent housing in these neighborhoods is illusory. People living in slums are often undocumented immigrants and are not eligible for social housing, which is in any case insufficient. What other option is there? According to official statistics, before Chido, there were approximately nine social housing units per 1,000 inhabitants, which is extremely low. However, 40% of homes in Mayotte are made of corrugated iron and 77% of inhabitants live below the national poverty line. Slums, rebuilt identically, are still just as fragile and vulnerable to bad weather.
After Chido, migrants were singled out by some French politicians. The Bayrou government passed legislation to tighten access to French nationality and promised to take a tougher stance on immigration. How is the situation evolving on the ground?
F. I. T.: Nearly half of the people living in Mayotte are foreigners, many of whom are illegal immigrants living in slums. Large-scale police operations, such as Wambushu or Place nette, aimed at razing slums and carrying out mass expulsions, were not repeated in 2025. However, border police still intervene at sea and on the island to deport illegal immigrants. But the latter keep coming back: the island is easily accessible by boat from neighboring islands and the borders are difficult to control.
Despite the government's efforts, illegal arrivals continue. Migrants still live in precarious housing, with limited access to fundamental rights and persistent inequalities.
Relations between France and the Comoros play a central role in this migration issue. What is the state of these relations? https://www.youtube.com/embed/aOhrlxqqv3I?wmode=transparent&start=0
F. I. T.: In 2018, an agreement was reached between the Union of the Comoros and France. France agreed to help the Comoros in the areas of agriculture, education, and health—on the condition that the Comorian government stop migrants from leaving the island of Anjouan. But since then, nothing has changed. The President of the Union of the Comoros, Azali Assoumani, constantly repeats that France must abandon Mayotte and that the island should join the Union of the Comoros. He claims that Mayotte belongs to the Comoros, no doubt to satisfy his electorate, while the inhabitants of the Comoros live in extreme poverty.
What is the state of mind of the islanders you interact with?
F. I. T.: The people of Mayotte are resilient. After the cyclone, they helped each other and showed solidarity. Here, life goes on. Some criticize the government, but in general, the people of Mayotte are confident about the future. What is a source of tension is the violence that sometimes involves migrants. This did not start with Chido. The migration issue has grown in importance since the island became a French department in 2011.
Fahad Idaroussi Tsimanda, Geographer, associate researcher at LAGAM, University of Montpellier
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.