Thousands feared dead after devastating cyclone hits French territory of Mayotte
Up to 1,000 people in the French territory of Mayotte could be dead after a devastating cyclone tore through the region, according to the island’s top official.
Mayotte, a remote island in the Indian Ocean, is one of several countries to be impacted by Cyclone Chido, which has wrecked local infrastructure and left ‘several hundreds’ potentially dead.
Speaking to local media, Mayotte Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville said: ‘I think there are some several hundred dead, maybe we’ll get close to a thousand, even thousands… given the violence of this event.’
The official said it was currently ‘extremely difficult’ to get an exact number after practically all communication lines on the island have been taken out by the cyclone.
At least 11 people have died so far, with nine more confirmed to be critically injured. A hospital in Mayotte reported that 246 others were injured with fears the death toll will rise significantly over the coming days.
The tropical cyclone blew through the southeastern Indian Ocean, also affecting the nearby islands of Comoros and Madagascar.
Mayotte was directly in the path of the cyclone and suffered extensive damage on Saturday, officials said. The prefect of Mayotte said it was the worst cyclone to hit Mayotte in 90 years.
The ministry said 1,600 police and gendarmerie officers have been deployed to ‘help the population and prevent potential looting’.
France’s new Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, who took office on Friday, said public infrastructure had been severely damaged or destroyed by the cyclone, including the main hospital and the airport.
Chido brought winds in excess of 136mph, according to the French weather service, ripping metal roofs off houses and destroying many small structures in Mayotte, which has a population of just over 300,000 spread over two main islands about 500 miles off Africa’s east coast.
In some parts, entire neighbourhoods were flattened, while local residents reported many trees had been uprooted and boats had been flipped or sunk.