Mayotte – Five days after the devastating passage of Cyclone Chido, Emmanuel Macron went to the island on Thursday to meet a devastated population and announce strong measures. Among them, a day of national mourning will be observed on Monday, December 23.
“We are a Nation. We all share the pain of the Mahorais,” declared the President of the Republic on
A population in distress
As soon as he arrived at Pamandzi airport, aboard an Airbus A330 carrying four tonnes of food and health freight, the head of state was confronted with the distress of the residents. They informed him of the shortage of water, electricity, fuel and other essential services.
“Please stay, don’t leave too quickly,” Assane Haloi, an airport employee, pleaded with him in tears. “Give help. Solutions, but solutions that succeed. »
During a visit to Mamoudzou hospital, the president announced the imminent installation of a field hospital and the strengthening of the gendarmerie force, which will increase from 800 to 1,200 men. He also promised a rapid restoration of communications.
Immense needs and ongoing help
“Mahorais, we will get back together,” assured Emmanuel Macron before flying over the disaster areas by helicopter. However, the needs remain immense. As help begins to arrive from Reunion Island, residents express their frustration. The presidential convoy was booed by people waiting in front of a gas station in Petite-Terre, one of only three open.
The human toll remains uncertain. Officially, 31 deaths have been confirmed, but authorities fear hundreds or even thousands of deaths. Some areas remain inaccessible, and torrential rains complicate rescue operations.
“We are facing open-air mass graves (…). No one came to recover the buried bodies”alerted centrist MP Estelle Youssoufa.
Emergency measures put in place
Faced with this dramatic situation, the government announced emergency measures, including freezing the prices of bottled water and basic necessities for six months. A nighttime curfew was introduced to prevent looting.
The Minister of Overseas Territories, François-Noël Buffet, also declared the activation of “the state of natural disaster” to accelerate relief efforts and coordinate interventions.
A national mobilization
Mayotte, which officially has 320,000 inhabitants, suffers from an underestimated estimate of its population. The Head of State’s interlocutors affirm that the aid must be sized for half a million people.
In the meantime, Emmanuel Macron’s message is intended to unite: “The Mahorais are not alone. The entire Nation is at their side to overcome this ordeal. »
