December 16, 2024, 10:53 PM
December 16, 2024, 10:53 PM
These are scenes that the inhabitants of the small island of Mayotte, in the Indian Ocean, have described as “apocalyptic.”
The territory of France, located near the coast of southeastern Africa, was hit by the cyclone Chido last Saturday, with heavy rain and winds of up to 225 km/h.
The authorities were able to confirm the deaths of at least 20 people this Monday, but It is feared that the figure will rise to hundreds or thousands as the reconnaissance and rescue work progresses.
Chido has been listed as the strongest cyclone to hit the island in almost a century.
The French president Emmanuel Macron He reported that he will travel there in the coming days.
“In the face of this tragedy that has shaken each of us, I will decree a national mourning,” he said in X.
The French authorities have mobilized ships and military planes for rescue efforts and support for the victims.
The island has a population of 320,000 inhabitantsbut it is estimated that there are some 100,000 undocumented immigrantswhich makes victim identification tasks difficult.
The Department of Mayotte is one of the five overseas departments and regions of France, which have the same political status as the metropolitan regions of that country.
Mayotte is considered the poorest territory in France and the European Unionaccording to the Associated Press agency.
Widespread infrastructure damage, with downed power lines and impassable roads, has also contributed to the slow recording of damage and emergency operations.
Many survivors who lost everything were wandering the streets in search of shelter, food and water.
Winds of more than 220 km/h hit neighborhoods and towns built on slopes, where metal and wood homes were reduced to rubble. It was the worst cyclone since another recorded in the 1930s.
“Mayotte is totally devastated”declared the French Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau.
The French Red Cross said the level of damage was “unimaginable” and declined to provide a death toll.
With three out of four people living below the national poverty line, the territory relies heavily on French financial aid, Reuters reported.
The average monthly income is close to US$3,000, compared to US$22,000 in mainland France.
Mayotte has been part of France since its colonization in 1843. The territory is made up of two main islands: Grande-Terre and Petite-Terre.
The neighboring islands Comoros They encompass three small volcanic islands, Grande Comore, Anjouan and Moheli. Unlike Mayotte, the Comoros declared independence from France in 1975.
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