The passage of the intense tropical cyclone Chido over the French island of Mayotte has left a trail of destruction with at least 14 dead, according to international media reports. Meanwhile, local authorities estimate that there could be hundreds of fatalities.

"I think it will certainly be several hundred, maybe we'll reach a thousand, or even several thousand," admitted the French governor of Mayotte, François-Xavier Bieuville.

The difficulties in ascertaining the real number of dead are due, among other things, to the fact that Mayotte is a Muslim land, where burials take place within 24 hours.

There are nine wounded in critical condition and another 246 with serious injuries, said the head of the commune of Mamoudzou, capital of Mayotte, Ambdilwahedou Soumaila.

Humanitarian aid has already been mobilized, but the difficulties in reaching the victims are diverse, ranging from the near impossibility of accessing airports to the power cut.

Cyclone Chido crossed Mayotte during the night from Saturday to Sunday, lashing the archipelago with winds of more than 200 kilometers per hour. It has already been described as the strongest storm to hit the territory in over 90 years.