Cyclone hits Mayotte Island... to "increase to 1,000 deaths"

[Anchor]
A large cyclone 'Chido' hit the French island of Mayotte in southeastern Africa, resulting in a series of casualties and property damages.

Local authorities reported that the death toll could reach a thousand.

Reporter Hwang Bo-sun reports.

[Reporter]
The drought-stricken island of Mayotte was hit by a storm of more than 220km/h early Saturday morning.

Everything was destroyed as if it had been bombed.

In particular, the damage to slum shanty villages built by flying is great.

The number of casualties is increasing significantly over time.

The death toll, which used to be at least a few dozen, has risen to hundreds.

Local authorities say the death toll could reach a thousand, considering the number of missing people.

Telecommunications and electricity were cut off and major infrastructure facilities such as airports were paralyzed.

France's Interior Ministry has deployed 1,500 police officers everywhere to maintain security, including preventing shoplifting.

The island is located on the cyclone's central path, causing enormous damage.

Cyclone Chido, which hit Mayotte Island this time, is a Category 4 tropical storm that is facing its first major storm in nearly 100 years.

Cyclones frequently occur in the region from December to March of the following year, and in 2019, cyclones "Idai" hit nearby Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, killing more than 1,300 people.

The following year, cyclone Freddie killed more than a thousand people.

This is YTN Hwang Bo-seon.


Screen courtesy: CHAD YOU YOUOU
Video editing: Lee Eun-kyung