MAMOUDZOU, Mayotte — On Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron of France made a visit to the Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte to assess the catastrophic impact that Cyclone Chido has had on the region. Thousands of residents are struggling to cope without vital necessities like water and electricity in the cyclone’s aftermath.
Upon his arrival, an airport security agent, Assane Haloi, expressed the dire situation, stating, “Mayotte is demolished.” She described the plight of her family, including young children, who are left without basic utilities or shelter following the powerful cyclone that struck the French territory near Africa’s coast last Saturday. “There’s no roof, there’s nothing. No water, no food, no electricity. We can’t even shelter; we are all wet with our children covering ourselves with whatever we have so that we can sleep,” Haloi pleaded for urgent assistance.
President Macron conducted an aerial survey of the cyclone’s destruction via helicopter before visiting the hospital in Mamoudzou, the capital of Mayotte. Dressed in a traditional Mayotte scarf with his sleeves rolled up, he listened closely to the desperate pleas for help from residents. One medical worker informed him that some individuals had gone without drinking water for a staggering 48 hours. Concern was also voiced by residents regarding the uncertainty of their loved ones’ fates amid many missing persons, exacerbated by the religious customs that dictate burials must occur within 24 hours.
Lawmaker Estelle Youssoufa underscored the gravity of the situation, stating, “We’re dealing with open-air mass graves. There are no rescuers; no one has come to recover the buried bodies.” Some reports from survivors and aid organizations pointed to hurried burials and the horrific smell of decomposing bodies in the area. Acknowledging the significant loss of life, Macron remarked that many deaths have yet to be cataloged; however, he assured the public that phone communications would be restored soon to assist in locating missing individuals.
Official reports indicate at least 31 casualties and more than 1,500 injuries, with over 200 individuals in critical condition. Nonetheless, it is feared that the actual death toll could reach the hundreds or even thousands. Following his hospital visit, Macron planned to tour an area heavily affected by the cyclone.
One local resident, Abdou Houmadou, voiced his frustration with the situation, asserting that what’s truly needed is emergency aid, not just a visit from the President. “Mr. President, what I’d like to tell you is I think the spending you made from Paris to Mayotte would have been better spent to help the people,” he stated. Conversely, another local, Ahamadi Mohammed, viewed the President’s visit positively, believing it could lead to substantial aid to help the island recover. “I think that we’ll then get significant aid to try and get the island back on its feet,” remarked the 58-year-old.
Macron’s administration announced that four tons of food and medical supplies, along with additional rescue personnel, accompanied the President on his flight. Additionally, a naval vessel was scheduled to arrive in Mayotte on the same day, bringing 180 tons of humanitarian supplies and equipment, as outlined by the French military.
Residents in a vast slum on the edge of Mamoudzou suffered significant damage, with many losing their homes and friends to the cyclone. One survivor, Nassirou Hamidouni, shared his harrowing experience, detailing how he sheltered as the storm struck. Tragically, his neighbor lost their life when a wall caved in, resulting in the deaths of his six children as well. Hamidouni, along with others, worked to clear the rubble, and he is determined to rebuild his own home. He fears that the reported death toll does not accurately reflect the true extent of the losses, stating, “It was very hard.”
Mayotte, situated between Africa’s east coast and northern Madagascar, is the poorest territory of France. Many residents underestimated the storm’s potential due to initial warnings, leading to widespread devastation. The French government records a population of more than 320,000, with a significant Muslim demographic, plus an estimated 100,000 migrants residing in the territory. Mayotte is unique among the Comoros islands, having opted to remain a French territory during a 1974 referendum, largely fueled by increasing migration from the nearby independent nation of Comoros and even further regions like Somalia, where individuals hope to eventually reach Europe.
