File:Chido 2024-12-15 (MODIS).jpg

English: Tropical Cyclone Chido made landfall over the northern coast of Mozambique, just south of the city of Pemba in Cabo Delagado Province on December 15, 2024, carrying destructive winds of about 130 mph (209 km/h)—the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. According to ReliefWeb, Chido not only carried damaging winds, but also extremely heavy rains (24-hour totals of 250 mm/9.8 inches), and very dangerous storm surge (8 meters/26 feet) which threatened to completely submerge coastal provinces.

By the time the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image on December 15, Chido had travelled inland, and maximum sustained winds had weakened to about 70 mph (112 km/h). Heavy rain and strong wind gusts continued to batter both Mozambique and parts of Malawi through December 16.

Initial damage assements revealed widespread destruction of homes, schools, and health facilities in Mozambique, according to ReliefWeb. The report stated, “In some areas, the situation is described as near total destruction.” An early estimate by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), stated that more than 5,800 houses have been destroyed, 41 classrooms damaged, and the downing of power poles has left at least 2,500 families without electricity. Meculfi, the hardest-hit area in Cabo Delgado, cannot be accessed due to blocked roads.

Prior to striking Mozambique, Tropical Cyclone Chido made two landfalls, both at Category 4 strength. On December 11, Chido made landfall on the small Mauritian islands of Agaléga as it was nearing peak intensity of about 155 miles per hour (250 km/h). The storm then passed just north of Madagascar on December 13 before striking northern Mayotte the morning of December 14 with sustained winds of 140 miles per hour (225 km/h). Chido was the strongest storm to hit Mayotte in more than 90 years, according to Météo-France, and was the strongest to hit Agaléga in 41 years.

Damage to communications systems and difficulty accessing some cyclone-ravaged locations has made initial assessment of impact to human lives and infrastructure difficult in all regions impacted by Chido, especially in Agaléga, Mayotte, and Mozambique. Preliminary satellite assessment of the aftermath found widespread damage along the cyclone’s path and several media reports show images of near-total destruction from some locations, especially in Mayotte. Official reports of deaths from the storm are currently lacking, but could number in the hundreds or even thousands, according to unofficial media reports.