Over the weekend, Tropical Cyclone Chido tore through the Mayotte archipelago, Comoros, and Mozambique on the southeastern coast of Africa, causing catastrophic damage and loss of life. Just days later, a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, compounding a difficult week of natural disasters for communities already facing significant vulnerabilities.
Cyclone Chido has been described as the most powerful storm to hit Mayotte in over 90 years. The French overseas department, located between Madagascar and Mozambique, was battered by wind speeds exceeding 140 miles per hour and storm surges as high as 28 feet, which wiped out entire neighborhoods, particularly informal settlements housing undocumented migrants. While the official death toll in Mayotte is currently reported as 22, casualty estimates are already in the thousands and expected to rise as assessments continue.
In neighboring Comoros, Cyclone Chido delivered similarly devastating winds and heavy rainfall, leaving extensive destruction across the island chain. Comoros President Azali Assoumani declared a week of mourning for lives lost, noting the country’s infrastructure had sustained “enormous” damage. Mozambique, already vulnerable to severe weather, faced Chido’s full force as the storm made landfall in Cabo Delgado province. Winds of over 160 miles per hour and torrential rains damaged homes, infrastructure, and health facilities across the region.
Direct Relief is working to assess the needs of affected communities. In Mayotte, the organization is in communication with French emergency first response agencies to address opportunities for supporting immediate healthcare needs. In Comoros, Direct Relief is working with its long-standing partner Santé Diabète, a French NGO focused on diabetes prevention and care, to assess the situation and provide support. Outreach to Mozambique’s Ministry of Health is ongoing, with Direct Relief offering emergency medical supplies and logistical support as damage assessments are finalized.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific, the island nation of Vanuatu was struck by a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake. Though damage assessments are still underway, reports indicate widespread destruction to homes, public infrastructure, and healthcare facilities, with aftershocks posing continued risks. Direct Relief has begun coordinating with healthcare partners in Vanuatu to determine the most urgent needs and provide assistance, with a shipment of emergency medicines and medical supplies en route to the island nation this week.
Why These Disasters Are So Dangerous to Human Health
Disasters like earthquakes and cyclones present immediate and long-term threats to human health. Severe storms and earthquakes often cause mass casualties, injuries from trauma, and infrastructure collapse that can overwhelm local health systems. In the aftermath, communities face additional risks:
- Disease Outbreaks: Flooding from cyclones contaminates water sources, increasing the spread of cholera, malaria, and other waterborne diseases.
- Displacement: The destruction of homes and healthcare facilities forces people into overcrowded shelters with limited sanitation, increasing the risk of communicable diseases.
- Chronic Health Disruptions: Access to care for chronic diseases, such as diabetes or hypertension, is often interrupted, putting vulnerable individuals at risk.
- Maternal and Infant Health: Pregnant women and infants are especially at risk when health services are disrupted, as emergency obstetric care becomes harder to access.
Direct Relief works to address these challenges by ensuring that essential medical supplies, from trauma kits to vaccines, reach healthcare providers on the frontlines.
Direct Relief’s Ongoing Commitment to Disaster Response
Direct Relief has a long history of responding to some of the world’s most devastating natural disasters, ensuring critical medical resources reach those in need. Following Cyclone Idai in 2019, the organization delivered over 100 tons of medical aid to Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. In Vanuatu, Direct Relief has supported health systems for years, delivering emergency medical supplies after both cyclones and earthquakes. By pre-positioning resources and partnering with frontline healthcare providers, Direct Relief ensures that when disasters strike, communities receive the timely medical assistance they need.
Earthquakes:
- In Türkiye and Syria, following the catastrophic 7.8-magnitude earthquake in February 2023, Direct Relief delivered more than 1,000 tons of medical aid, including field medical kits, trauma supplies, and cold-chain vaccines to frontline responders. Direct Relief also provided grants to support health facilities and organizations leading recovery efforts.
- After the 2015 Nepal earthquake, which killed thousands and devastated infrastructure, Direct Relief partnered with local healthcare providers to deliver emergency medical supplies, including essential medicines and equipment for trauma care.
- Following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, one of the deadliest in recent history, Direct Relief supplied over $70 million in medical aid, supported Haitian health organizations and helped rebuild clinics and hospitals.
Cyclones, Hurricanes, and Typhoons:
- In 2019, Cyclones Idai and Kenneth tore through Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, destroying homes, crops, and health facilities, while causing a widespread cholera outbreak. Direct Relief provided over 100 tons of emergency medical aid, focusing on trauma care, infectious disease prevention, and maternal health. Direct Relief also provided analysis support to WHO and the Ministry of Health of Mozambique for their cholera vaccination campaign in Pemba.
- After Hurricane Dorian devastated the Bahamas in 2019, Direct Relief delivered medical supplies to clinics and hospitals, helping local providers care for displaced and injured residents.
- In 2013, when Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines—one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded—Direct Relief responded immediately with emergency shipments of medical aid and long-term support to rebuild health systems in affected areas.
- Direct Relief also has an ongoing hurricane preparedness program that pre-positions medical supplies in high-risk areas ahead of cyclone and hurricane seasons, including the Caribbean, the Gulf Coast, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific.
Through these efforts, Direct Relief has delivered billions of dollars in medical aid and partnered with local organizations to rebuild healthcare systems, ensuring that disaster-hit communities have access to essential care both during emergencies and throughout recovery.
As impacts from Cyclone Chido and the Vanuatu earthquake continue to unfold, Direct Relief remains committed to supporting healthcare providers on the ground, helping communities recover, and ensuring life-saving medical care reaches those most in need.
