Rescue teams are racing against time to reach survivors in Mayotte, where a catastrophic cyclone has left a trail of destruction. The storm ravaged the French Indian Ocean territory, reducing homes to rubble and leaving hundreds feared dead.
Images from the island reveal scenes of utter devastation, with entire neighborhoods flattened. The crisis erupted just after President Emmanuel Macron appointed a new prime minister, posing a significant challenge for a government operating in a caretaker role.
Health services have been severely impacted, with hospitals sustaining major damage. Health Minister Genevieve Darrieussecq reported that surgical, intensive care, maternity, and emergency units were particularly hard-hit. Many medical centers are currently non-operational, exacerbating the dire situation.
Macron is expected to lead a crisis meeting in Paris, while Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has arrived on the island to oversee relief efforts. Cyclone Chido wreaked havoc on critical infrastructure, damaging Mayotte’s airport and severing electricity, water, and communication links.
Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville expressed grave concerns over the potential death toll, indicating it could reach into the hundreds or even thousands. With many areas still inaccessible, officials fear that numerous victims remain trapped beneath the rubble.
The mayor of the capital, Mamoudzou, described the scene as one where “nothing was spared,” with hospitals and schools devastated. To support relief efforts, an additional 160 soldiers and firefighters are being deployed.
Packing winds of up to 226 kilometers per hour, the cyclone struck Mayotte, home to approximately 320,000 residents, many of whom live in vulnerable shantytowns. One resident, Ibrahim, described the aftermath as “apocalyptic,” as he navigated blocked roads.
As the scale of the disaster becomes clearer, a first aid plane with medical supplies and personnel has already arrived, with more military aircraft and a navy ship en route. International assistance has been promised, with the European Commission and the World Health Organization ready to provide support.
Challenges remain, as around 100,000 residents are estimated to be living clandestinely on the island, complicating assessments of those affected. Former nurse Ousseni Balahachi noted that some individuals hesitated to seek help, fearing it might lead to their removal from Mayotte.
Experts attribute the severity of Cyclone Chido to climate change, with warmer Indian Ocean waters intensifying the storm. After battering Mayotte, Chido made landfall in Mozambique, where it has already claimed lives.
The UN warns that approximately 1.7 million people are at risk, as the remnants of the cyclone threaten to unleash further rainfall across the region.
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