The water which is starting to run out, the Mahorais in an apocalyptic setting and the fear of “looting” which is emerging, all against the backdrop of a brewing health drama… The inhabitants of Mayotte are suffering in astonishment the consequences of tropical cyclone Chido, which devastated the island with winds reaching 226 km/h on Saturday December 14. The authorities fear “several hundred” deaths. They will also have to put in place a “strong health watch” to detect possible “emerging contagious diseases coming from the consumption of polluted water or spoiled food” such as cholera, which has already caused several deaths on the island. This year.
This natural disaster promises to be one of the greatest tragedies to have affected French overseas territories. But it is far from being the only one: French overseas territories have suffered historic natural disasters over the past two centuries. With the intensification of global warming and the rise in ocean temperatures, cyclones and extreme weather events have become more and more frequent and intense in recent decades.
The 1839 earthquake in Martinique
In 1839 in Martinique, an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.3 shook the town of Saint-Pierre. Between 1,500 and 2,000 people lost their lives, killed by the collapse of hundreds of buildings. The earthquake destroyed a large part of the city, damaged infrastructure, and caused secondary eruptions and fires. The damage is colossal, even if the city of Fort-de-France is less affected. This natural disaster marks a turning point in the history of Martinique, highlighting its vulnerability to the elements.
The eruption of Mount Pelée in 1902
It is probably the greatest tragedy in the history of French overseas territories, and in the history of volcanic disasters. On May 8, 1902 on the island of Martinique, a violent volcanic explosion coming from Montagne Pelée completely destroyed the town of Saint-Pierre, and killed 30,000 people in its path in a few minutes. The majority of victims die instantly, due to the fiery cloud, a cloud of gas, ash and incandescent rocks that rushes down the slopes of the volcano.
The material damage was devastating: Saint-Pierre was completely razed, its buildings, infrastructure and plantations destroyed. The eruption also damaged neighboring villages, and caused disruptions in agriculture, particularly in sugar cane crops, profoundly changing the landscape and the economy of the island.
The Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928 in Guadeloupe
Category 4 Hurricane Okeechobee hit Guadeloupe on September 12, 1928, unleashing winds that reached 230 km/h. Around 1,200 direct deaths were reported, and more than 2,000 indirect deaths, mainly due to illness and the misery that followed. The material damage was then estimated at more than 800 million francs at the time, seriously affecting infrastructure, crops and homes. In Pointe-à-Pitre, a tidal wave carried away the structures still standing, and ended up disfiguring almost the entire city. The surrounding islets are submerged and the vegetation ravaged. Around 90% of houses were damaged, along with most administrative and commercial buildings, and agricultural losses inflicted a deep economic wound on the island.
The 1948 cyclone leaves Reunion in mourning
It is the most violent cyclone recorded on Reunion Island, located in the middle of the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar. On January 26, 1948, its winds exceeding 300 km/h fell on the capital of Saint-Denis, destroying hundreds of buildings in its path, damaging bridges and infrastructure. The districts of Sainte Clotilde and Butor, populated with wooden houses, are almost wiped off the map. Devastating floods followed, which drowned towns like Saint-Paul or Saint-Leu, causing significant human losses. Around 165 deaths have been recorded.
Cyclone Hugo in 1989 in Guadeloupe
In September 1989, Cyclone Hugo, category 4, destroyed Guadeloupe with its monster winds of more than 300 km/h. The human and material damage is considerable. Around twenty deaths and hundreds of injuries were recorded, and more than 35,000 people found themselves homeless. Nearly 90% of homes are damaged, with roofs torn off.
Public infrastructure is seriously affected, including roads, schools and electricity and drinking water networks. The sector is then decimated, the banana and sugar cane crops, the economic pillar of the island, are reduced to nothing. The scale of the damage, estimated at several billion francs, required national mobilization for relief and long-term reconstruction in the following years.
Storm Dorothy hits Martinique in 1970
Storm Dorothy struck Martinique in November 1970, and was immediately classified as a strong tropical depression. It mainly affects the north and center of the island and leaves at least 44 dead, mainly due to flooding and landslides caused by heavy rains. Thousands of homes are damaged or destroyed by floods and landslides. Transport infrastructure, particularly roads and bridges, has once again been seriously damaged, making access to the affected areas very difficult. The agricultural sector is seriously affected, crops are devastated, and the island’s economy is once again very weakened. This storm highlights the vulnerability of local infrastructure to violent climatic phenomena.
Hurricane Irma devastates Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin in 2017
The most recent in French history but also one of the most violent, Hurricane Irma, classified in category 5, devastated Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin in September 2017. In Saint-Martin, 11 people lost their lives and thousands of people were injured. 95% of the buildings are destroyed or damaged, and a large part of the island’s inhabitants have to be displaced. Public infrastructure, such as the airport, hospitals and schools, are seriously affected, paralyzing the island. The tourism sector, an economic pillar, is wiped out, as are ports and many roads.
Although better prepared, the island of Saint-Barthélemy saw around 50% of its homes suffer damage. The port of Gustavia is destroyed, isolating the island, and flooded roads slow the arrival of help. Material losses in the two islands were subsequently estimated at 3 billion euros, lastingly affecting infrastructure and local economies.