The cyclone first hit the small French island of Mayotte before it moved on to hit Mozambique on the eastern coast of southern Africa.

More than three-quarters of Mayotte's roughly 321,000 people live in relative poverty, and about one-third are estimated to be undocumented migrants.

Authorities had also established an air bridge between Mayotte and Reunion Island, another French overseas territory on the other side of Madagascar.

It was difficult to ascertain the precise death toll after the cyclone, which also raised concerns about access to food, water and sanitation, authori...

Cyclone Chido swept through Mayotte overnight, Meteo-France said, bringing winds of more than 200 kph.

The airline plans to resume flights on December 16, 2024, provided weather conditions improve significantly.