Cyclone Chido has made landfall along Africa's East Coast, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The cyclone made landfall in Mozambique with officials noting that it could affect 2.5 million people.
French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte was the most affected by the cyclone with widespread reports of destruction in its wake.
Wave of destruction and devastation
An update provided by authorities on Sunday, December 15, 2024 indicates that 14 people have been killed, with 9 others in hospital in critical condition.
246 people were left with injuries with the cyclone causing extensive damage to infrastructure and damaging communication networks.
Emergency rescue efforts were hampered by the extensive damage to infrastructure with the full extent of the damage yet to be established.
Countries on high alert
Countries along Africa’s East Coast are on high alert with authorities mobilising rescue and relief efforts in anticipation of the cyclone’s impact.
Residents in regions to be impacted have been advised to avoid unnecessary movement, and seek shelter in designated safe areas
Mobilisation of medical support, infrastructure repair, and humanitarian assistance are among the areas of focus as authorities prepare for the impact of the cyclone.
Suspension of flights
With the cyclone wreaking havoc and making its way to the East African coastline, Kenya Airways suspended flights to Comoros and Mayotte Islands due to poor weather.
Flights are set to resume on Monday, December 16, upon a thorough assessment of the weather.
Kenya Airways released a statement on Saturday stating that it is closely monitoring the situation and will resume flights to the affected destinations once conditions improve.
Authorities in both countries have issued alerts regarding the impact of the cyclone, which is expected to persist until Monday. To ensure the safety of our staff and customers, flights to Comoros and Mayotte have been temporarily suspended.
Authorities estimate that the Cyclone Chido could affect approximately 2.5 million people.