Emmanuel Macron arrives on the island of Mayotte, which was hit by the hurricane
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived on the island of Mayotte, while the French region in the Indian Ocean is still suffering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Chido.
Macron arrived in Mayotte on Thursday morning and said he brought with him four tons of food and health supplies.
French officials reported that at least 31 people had died, while thousands were still missing, after the hurricane swept through the small islands on Saturday.
A state of exceptional natural disaster has been declared on the island of Mayotte.
Earlier, Salama Ramia, a French senator from the island of Mayotte, told the BBC that emergency food is the top priority.
“One or two shops have opened but not everyone has money to buy food, and even the shops are starting to become empty, so food for me is really urgent.”
The state of emergency, specifically designed for France’s overseas territories, allows administrative obstacles to be overcome in order to deal with the crisis more quickly and effectively.
It is activated for one month, and can be extended for two-month periods if necessary.
“In the face of this exceptional situation, exceptional resources must be deployed to quickly restore vital services and implement a sustainable reconstruction plan for Mayotte,” said François-Noel Bovet, Minister responsible for the Overseas Territories.
Emergency services are delivering food and water and clearing roads, while also racing to find missing people.
Health workers are concerned about the potential spread of infectious diseases, as residents report shortages of clean drinking water and stores ration supplies.
The authorities said their priority is to restart the damaged water stations.
Half of the territory is still without electricity. Newly imposed curfew It requires people to stay indoors for six hours overnight to prevent looting.
Mayotte is one of the poorest regions in France, with many of its residents living in shantytowns.
The Macron administration has been criticized for underinvesting in Mayotte over several years.
It has been home to 100,000 migrants seeking asylum in France and living in informal settlements. They are believed to have been among the people hardest hit by the cyclone.
Chido – The worst storm to hit the archipelago in 90 years – It brought winds of more than 225 kilometers per hour (140 mph) on Saturday, leveling areas where people live in metal-roofed shacks and leaving fields of dirt and debris.
After Mayotte, the storm hit the African mainland, killing at least 45 people in Mozambique and 13 in Malawi.
