Cyclone-ravaged Mayotte on High Alert as New Storm Approaches

FILE PHOTO: A boy carries a roofing sheet on the beach in the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, in Passamainty, Mayotte, France December 20, 2024. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A boy carries a roofing sheet on the beach in the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, in Passamainty, Mayotte, France December 20, 2024. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo
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Cyclone-ravaged Mayotte on High Alert as New Storm Approaches

FILE PHOTO: A boy carries a roofing sheet on the beach in the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, in Passamainty, Mayotte, France December 20, 2024. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A boy carries a roofing sheet on the beach in the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, in Passamainty, Mayotte, France December 20, 2024. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

Residents of the French territory of Mayotte braced Sunday for a storm expected to bring strong winds and flash floods less than a month after the Indian Ocean archipelago was devastated by a deadly cyclone.

Mayotte was placed on red alert from 1900 GMT on Saturday in anticipation of the passage of Dikeledi, a storm forecast to skirt about 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of the territory, AFP reported.

It hit the northern coast of Madagascar as a cyclone on Saturday evening and weakened into a severe tropical storm, but is expected to regain intensity as it moves towards Mayotte.

It could be reclassified as a cyclone by Monday morning, according to French weather service Meteo-France.

At around 6:00 am local time (0300 GMT) the storm was around 260 kilometers southeast of Mayotte, moving at 22 kilometers per hour.

"In terms of impact, Antsiranana province in Madagascar has sustained the most intense conditions in recent hours," Meteo-France said, referring to the island's northern tip.

Authorities called for "extreme vigilance" on Mayotte following the devastation wrought by Cyclone Chido in mid-December.

"Very heavy rains could generate flash floods," Meteo-France said in its update, warning that "floods and landslides are expected in the coming hours".

Wind gusts could reach 90 km/h (55 mph) on the French territory, while "dangerous sea conditions" are also forecast.

Residents were advised to seek shelter and stock up on food and water.

"Nothing is being left to chance," Manuel Valls, France's overseas territories minister, told AFP.

Cyclone Chido, the most devastating storm to hit France's poorest department in 90 years, caused colossal damage last month, killing at least 39 people and injuring more than 5,600.

Francois-Xavier Bieuville, the top Paris-appointed official on the territory, said Mayotte was placed on a red weather alert from 1900 GMT on Saturday to allow the public to take shelter.

"I have decided to bring forward this red alert to 10:00 pm to allow everyone to take shelter, to confine themselves, to take care of the people close to you, your children, your families," Bieuville said on television.

During the alert all travel is banned except for rescue and other authorized personnel.



Axios: US, Israeli Officials Believe Highly Enriched Uranium is Sealed Off Inside Iran’s Damaged Facilities

This handout satellite image courtesy of Maxar Technologies shows cargo trucks postioned near an underground entrance to Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), in Fordo, Iran on June 20, 2025. (Photo by Satellite image 2025 Maxar Technologies / AFP)
This handout satellite image courtesy of Maxar Technologies shows cargo trucks postioned near an underground entrance to Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), in Fordo, Iran on June 20, 2025. (Photo by Satellite image 2025 Maxar Technologies / AFP)
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Axios: US, Israeli Officials Believe Highly Enriched Uranium is Sealed Off Inside Iran’s Damaged Facilities

This handout satellite image courtesy of Maxar Technologies shows cargo trucks postioned near an underground entrance to Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), in Fordo, Iran on June 20, 2025. (Photo by Satellite image 2025 Maxar Technologies / AFP)
This handout satellite image courtesy of Maxar Technologies shows cargo trucks postioned near an underground entrance to Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), in Fordo, Iran on June 20, 2025. (Photo by Satellite image 2025 Maxar Technologies / AFP)

Highly enriched uranium is currently “sealed off” inside damaged facilities in Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, Israeli and US officials say, according to the America news website, Axios.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview that aired Monday with US journalist Tucker Carlson that the nuclear facilities were seriously damaged, but Iran doesn't currently have access to them to accurately assess the situation.

US and Israeli officials say both countries' intelligence services are monitoring Iranian actions around its nuclear facilities to detect efforts to remove material or restore operations, according to Axios.

Netanyahu's top adviser, Ron Dermer, told officials in closed briefings that he came away from a recent visit to Washington with the impression that the Trump administration would back new Israeli strikes on Iran under certain circumstances, two sources with knowledge told the website.

One scenario would be an Iranian attempt to remove the highly enriched uranium inside the damaged facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, according to the sources.

Another would be if the Iranians start rebuilding their nuclear program, particularly enrichment facilities.

Dermer met last week with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House envoy Steve Witkoff, Israeli officials said.

Witkoff is planning to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Oslo in the coming days to restart nuclear talks.

According to Axios, the Iranians confirmed such a meeting is in the works but so far no final date has been set.

Dermer told Israeli officials the US remains committed to the principle of zero enrichment on Iranian soil in the nuclear talks, the website wrote.