Thanks to a rapid and coordinated mobilization, concrete action has been taken to ensure the continuity of essential services and rebuild damaged infrastructures. Among the worst-affected sites are Combani, Madjabalini and La Vigie, which must be completely rebuilt.
Objective: full restoration by summer 2025
TDF's teams reacted immediately to the disaster:
- A crisis unit was activated and set up as soon as the cyclone had passed.
- In less than 48 hours, FM radio broadcasting was restored on three sites in provisional mode.
- Technical reinforcements and essential equipment were dispatched from La Réunion and mainland France.
- TDF employees directly affected by the disaster were relocated.
Today, out of 18 TDF sites, 17 have already been restored for all mobile telephony services. Most audiovisual services (television and radio) are back in service. Work is continuing on the Combani, Madjabani, Oungoujou and Moitsioni sites to restore DTT broadcasting. The ambitious goal is to restore the service on a permanent basis by summer 2025.
Teams from TORM, TDF's local subsidiary, are also working on upgrading their fleet of telecommunications towers (41 sites), with the support of reinforcements from mainland France. The aim is to bring 80% of the stock back into service by March 15, and to rebuild destroyed sites by the end of April.
In addition to the mobilization to restore telecom and audiovisual services, which has been hailed by operators and television and radio customers, TDF is contributing to the restoration of other essential services for the inhabitants of Mayotte:
- a dedicated antenna to enable the Red Cross to continue its support missions on the island.
- The services of the Gendarmerie (MIDGGN), the Syndicat des Eaux de Mayotte (SMAE) and the Marine Emergency Services (CROSS) are being restored.
Exemplary solidarity among employees
The ordeal of cyclone Chido has sparked a remarkable surge of solidarity among TDF employees:
- An internal kitty raised funds to support our colleagues in Mauritania.
- Call for mobilization: 36 employees volunteered to lend a hand on site, bringing specific skills and an indispensable relay.
This collective commitment is helping to structure the project: teams are coordinating safety work, implementing temporary solutions and planning reconstruction projects. This mobilization reflects TDF's values of solidarity, commitment and resilience.
Olivier Huart, Chairman and CEO of TDF, said:
"Cyclone Chido was an unprecedented ordeal for our teams and for Mayotte. I would like to pay tribute to the exemplary responsiveness, determination and solidarity shown by our employees, both in the field and remotely. Together, we are rebuilding not only our infrastructure, but also a strong bond with the local population and our partners. A huge thank you to our employees, partners and subcontractors. Together, we are rebuilding a resilient digital infrastructure network for Mayotte.