France’s Macron visits cyclone-devastated Mayotte

Last updated on December 20th, 2024 at 01:32 pm

The French president Emmanuel Macron has promised more aid to the inhabitants of the Mayotte archipelago in the Indian Ocean, as he witnessed the devastation wrought by cyclone Chido on the French territory.

Many thousands of people are trying to get by without the bare essentials, such as water and electricity.

The most powerful cyclone for nearly a century ravaged the French territory of Mayotte, off the coast of Africa, on Saturday.

Mr Macron boarded a helicopter for an aerial assessment of the damage, then visited the hospital in Mamoudzou, the capital of Mayotte, to meet medical staff and patients.

Dressed in a traditional Mayotte scarf over his white shirt and tie, with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the French President listened to people asking for his help. A member of the medical staff told him that some people had not drunk water for 48 hours.

Some local people also expressed their anguish at not knowing whether people were dead or missing, particularly because of the Muslim practice of burying the dead within 24 hours.

Authorities in France have said that at least 31 people have died and more than 1,500 have been injured, with more than 200 in a critical condition.

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However, it is feared that hundreds, if not thousands, may have died.

Macron’s office said four tonnes of food and medical aid as well as additional rescuers were on board the president’s flight.

A navy ship was due to arrive in Mayotte on Thursday with 180 tonnes of aid and equipment, according to the French army.