Written by Tashiro Hummel
PAMANJI, Mayotte (Reuters) – Authorities in Mayotte said on Tuesday that hunger, disease and illegality in the French overseas territory were increasing after the weekend’s devastating cyclone, while dozens of deaths were reported in Mozambique from the storm. They fought hard to stop the spread of the act.
French officials said hundreds or even thousands of people could be killed in the Mayotte region, which was hardest hit by Cyclone Chido. The storm devastated much of France’s poorest overseas territory, the Indian Ocean Islands, before hitting mainland Africa.
Essential supplies, medical and technical staff, and police were arriving via an air bridge to La Réunion, the area’s only lifeline.
Many areas of Mayotte remain inaccessible, some victims were buried before an official death toll was counted, and the full extent of the destruction could take days to unravel. be.
According to the Interior Ministry, 22 people have been confirmed dead and 1,373 injured.
When asked about the fate of the students, Mathew Gozu, a sports teacher at Bueni Mutiti Labatoire Secondary School in Zauzi town, said: “It is impossible to find them all.” “Many of them live in nearby slums and no one has access to them.”
Ambudilwahedou Soumaira, the mayor of the capital Mahmoudouz, described the dire situation as authorities prioritized food and water distribution.
“Unfortunately, some people died in places where the bodies started to decompose and could pose hygiene problems,” he told Radio France International. “There is no electricity. At night, some people take advantage of the situation.”
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said about a third of the island’s population remained missing due to poor communications and the number of victims could be higher.
“This is a small island with a population of 300,000 people, and around 100,000 people are still missing after the cyclone disrupted power, internet connections and phone lines,” said Nora Peter, IFRC communications director. said.
Shanty Towns
Rescue workers continue to search for survivors amid the rubble of the shantytown, which was blown away by winds of 200 km/h (124 mph).
“The children are traumatized. My husband hasn’t slept for three nights,” said Ann, a doctor and mother of four who returned to Mayotte in the afternoon. “I needed to go to La Réunion for professional training, but I got stuck there.”
Mayotte’s population has increased by an estimated 100,000 people over the past decade, largely due to illegal immigration, but the situation is made even more difficult by the fact that its exact size is unknown.
France’s Interior Ministry announced a curfew from 10pm to 4am local time on Tuesday.
Twenty tons of food and water were expected to arrive by air and sea on Tuesday. The French government said on Monday that it expects 50% of water supplies to be restored within 48 hours and 95% within a week.
Prime Minister François Bayrou said two of six water treatment plants were back in operation and about half of the electricity grid was operational.
A military hospital was set up and those in the most critical condition were evacuated to La Réunion.
Dr. Claudia Rodesani of Médecins Sans Frontières said restoring access to drinking water is critical to preventing outbreaks of cholera and other diseases.
“Epidemics are inevitable, but there is a very high risk,” he told Reuters, adding that access to clean water and health services was already difficult before the storm in the shantytowns where many immigrants live. .
“France will quickly repair its hospitals, but the situation in the slums is alarming,” Rodesani said.
Chido was the strongest storm to hit Mayotte in more than 90 years.
At least 34 people have died in Mozambique, officials said Tuesday. Seven more people died in Malawi.
Drone footage from Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province showed thatched houses near the coast being demolished and personal belongings scattered under the few remaining palm trees.
