in Mayotte, the authorities worry lots of of deaths, even 1000’s | EUROtoday

Dhe landscapes of desolation. Trees uprooted, roofs blown off, homes destroyed… Cyclone Chido, a tropical despair of outstanding depth which hit this Saturday, December 14 on the island of Mayotte, a French abroad territory positioned within the coronary heart of the The Indian Ocean leaves behind scenes of apocalypse. If the provisional toll was solely 14 victims, on Sunday night, the authorities worry lots of of deaths, even 1000’s.

Several hundred victims anticipated

While the island of Mayotte had been positioned in a state of emergency earlier than the passage of Chido, the cyclone has already claimed the lives of a minimum of 14 folks in accordance with the mayor of Mamoudzou, Ambdilwahedou Soumaila. Questioned by Agence France-Presse, the councilor stated that 9 folks in absolute emergency had been handled on the Mayotte Hospital Center (CHM) and 246 others in relative emergency.

If for the second, the toll is simply provisional, it might enhance within the coming hours, in accordance with the prefect of the French abroad division. On the general public channel Mayotte la 1ère, François-Xavier Bieuville stated he anticipated “several hundred deaths”, and even “a few thousand”, significantly with devastated slums. On web site, establishing a last evaluation proves very sophisticated. In this division the place Muslim custom could be very anchored, significantly “in neighborhoods of precarious housing that have been completely destroyed”, the customized is that deceased individuals are buried inside twenty-four hours of loss of life.

Lifting of the purple alert

While the territory had been positioned on purple alert because the cyclone approached, the best, residents had been invited to restrict themselves to their properties. Even if the alert has been lifted, the hazards persist, particularly the chance of submergence waves, warned the prefecture in its press launch revealed on social networks.

In order to guard themselves in opposition to all risks, the inhabitants on web site is due to this fact invited to keep away from touring as a lot as potential and to keep away from waterways. As for the site visitors routes which had been closely impacted by the passage of the cyclone, the prefecture calls on the Mahorais to order them for emergency companies and operators of significant pursuits dispatched to the location.

An airlift arrange

Heavily affected by the winds, a few of which have gusts exceeding 220 km/h, essentially the most intense to hit the abroad territories in additional than ninety years, no airplane can land on the airport anymore. Mayotte apart from navy plane. The management tower, partly destroyed, is in reality at present out of service, stated the prefect of Reunion Island, Patrice Laron.

Questioned by our colleagues from BFMTV, the latter additionally introduced throughout a press briefing {that a} “double air bridge” had been arrange between the 2 French islands in an effort to enable assist to be delivered to Mayotte. . “Our DASH […] made its first landing on the island of Mayotte and opened the way for the rest of the planes which will be able to arrive in the area,” declared the spokesperson for Civil Security, Colonel Alexandre Jouassard. “The priority is to transport medical forces, firefighters, rescuers,” he added to BFMTV.

Bruno Retailleau anticipated on web site

Present alongside the brand new Prime Minister François Bayrou throughout a disaster assembly on the state of affairs which was held on Saturday on the finish of the day in Beauvau, the resigning Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau flew this Sunday night in the direction of from Mayotte the place he’s anticipated on web site Monday morning. He will likely be accompanied by François-Noël Buffet, the resigning minister accountable for Overseas Territories.

Political reactions are growing

Several politicians reacted after the catastrophe. From Ajaccio the place he met Pope Francis touring to the Isle of Beauty, Emmanuel Macron promised to behave and expressed his “thoughts” to the inhabitants of the affected island. “I want to spare a thought for our compatriots in Mayotte who have suffered the most terrible things in recent hours and who, for some, have lost everything, lost their lives,” declared the President of the Republic.

Speaking of a “national tragedy”, François Hollande declared on the microphone of BFMTV that he had his eyes turned “towards a department which is surely one of the most distant, but also one of the poorest in our country” . Calling on the identical time to offer Mayotte with all the mandatory means to save lots of lives, the previous tenant of the Élysée stated he wished “support, solidarity, resources and appeasement” for the island.

The day after the cyclone handed, LIOT MP for Mayotte Estelle Youssouffa, for her half, known as on Emmanuel Macron to declare a state of emergency on the archipelago with out ready for chaos or anarchy to take maintain. Gérald Darmanin, the previous Minister of the Interior, known as on X (previously Twitter) for the best firmness in opposition to looting and for speedy reconstruction in order that “Mayotte is not a political issue”.