the essential
A month after launching the “Emergency Mayotte” operation, the president of the Occitalien association, whose headquarters is in Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne), is going this weekend to the island ravaged by two cyclones. 36 pallets of water and basic necessities, arriving by sea container, began to be distributed.
There are always unforeseen events when you arrive in a war zone or in a territory ravaged by a natural disaster. Pascal Serrier knows this better than anyone. After delivering aid to Ukraine, to the front line in the east of the country, to the south of Morocco hit by a destructive earthquake and, last fall, to the Valencia region in Spain, devastated by terrible floods, the president of Occitalien this time leaves for Mayotte.
The French island in the Indian Ocean is struggling to recover from Cyclone Chido, which left an apocalypse landscape and caused several dozen deaths. Pascal Serrier, who left Montauban this Thursday January 16 by a night train to reach Paris and take a plane on Friday which will take off from Roissy to Dzaouzdi, will be in Mayotte on Saturday January 18.
“Three people are waiting for me in Boueni. I was supposed to sleep in this town in the south of the island which had been one of the few spared by the cyclone but on January 12, it was hit hard by cyclone Dikeledi. My place accommodation was damaged. The most important thing is the help we provide there,” confides the Montalbanais.
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Cyclone Chido in Mayotte: “every minute counts”, the Occitalien association launches a call for donations
Help that preceded Pascal Serrier. “The maritime container that we sent on December 19 arrived on January 11 in Mayotte. The Mahorese association with which I am organizing this convoy has started to distribute water and basic necessities in six municipalities: Boueni , Bambo, Mzouazia, Mbouanatsa, Hanyoundrou and Moinatrindri I will attend the distribution between Sunday and Tuesday.”
In this container, Occitalien loaded 36 pallets of mineral water and essential products, “notably Marseille soaps offered by a network of laundries”. Following the call it launched on December 17, 2024, the association based in Montauban also collected collections organized by individuals, associations or town halls. “We were able to send 16 to 17 tonnes of aid to our compatriots in Mayotte. The contact established with the Boueni association allowed us to better organize the collection in advance. We took into account the needs expressed. Water is what Mayotte lacks most.”
