“I’m very worried, I don’t know how we’re going to get information,” summarizes Amélie Hamidou, originally from the south of the island of Mayotte, devastated by Cyclone Chido on Saturday December 14. “We hope that tomorrow things will be better, but above all that the prefecture will provide information to that of Marseille,” she continues. We need a crisis unit. »
While the human toll looks disastrous for the small archipelago in the Indian Ocean, concern is growing among the Mahorese diaspora. “I still haven’t managed to get my parents, but fortunately my sister, yes, this morning,” breathes Hassani Mohamed. They have nothing, everything is fine, but their house is completely destroyed. A priori, no one can reach the emergency number there. »
VideoTo alleviate anxiety, the Mahorais of Reunion organize food aid
“Many of us have not heard from our loved ones. There is no longer a telephone network, we are all looking for people who have a network on the island who could send images,” continues Rasimia Boina-Hassani. “I finally managed to have my mother today, after five days,” adds Barirati Chamassi. It’s hard to be here, helpless, while our families are there, to experience this situation from a distance. We are in uncertainty. »
The health situation is increasingly critical
“There was already a problem with drinking water before the cyclone and today people are telling us that they are thirsty,” worries Rasimia Boina-Hassani. It’s something that hurts the heart. As long as security is not ensured, we will not be able to transport donations by military planes. »
As soon as the State allows it, the Marseille town hall, which received a delegation from Mahorais on Tuesday, will open its building in the Old Port to collect food donations while several spontaneous collections have already been launched. The municipality, which has released emergency aid of 50,000 euros, says it is ready to send firefighters to the site urgently. Marseillais of Mahorese origin are calling for a solidarity rally on Saturday at the start of the afternoon departing from Porte d’Aix.
