France is observing this Monday, December 23, a national mourning set by President Emmanuel Macron in solidarity with Mayotte, hit 9 days ago by Cyclone Chido which devastated the archipelago, left at least 35 dead and injured nearly 2,500 people. according to a still provisional assessment.
Emmanuel Macron announced it last week during his trip to Mayotte, often stormy, with residents at the end of their strength: a day of national mourning in tribute to the people of Mahor, hit by the most devastating cyclone the country has ever known. he archipelago for 90 years, takes place this Monday, December 23.
The event is exceptional and has only taken place ten times since the beginning of the Fifth Republic. A time reserved for the death of current or former Presidents of the Republic as in 1970 for the death of Charles de Gaulle or in 1996 for François Mitterrand, national mourning has been decreed for the victims of terrorist attacks on several occasions in recent years. years.
A first for a climate catastrophe
This was the case of September 11, 2001 in New York – the only national tribute for victims outside France – including the Charlie Hebdo attacks in 2013, those of November 13 and the attack in Nice on July 14, 2016 .
This is the first time that national mourning has been declared for a climatic catastrophe since 1958. The first took place in 1930 during massive floods in the Tarn which left more than 700 dead and destroyed thousands of houses.
Concretely, Emmanuel Macron signed a decree published in the Official Journal but it is up to Prime Minister François Bayrou to organize the modalities.
Flags at half mast and minute of silence
For this event which is not a ceremony, unlike national funerals, the flags will be at half-mast on all public buildings, from ministries to town halls including schools.
All French people are also invited to reflect at 11 a.m. and to observe a minute of silence, following the wishes of the Head of State.
“All of our citizens must be able to join in this tribute,” states the decree. “Employers are invited to allow their employees to participate” and “public service agents must be able to join in this tribute”, we can still read.
A “special law” for Mayotte
The damage in Mayotte is colossal. Destruction of the entire precarious habitat, lack of food, water, electricity… The archipelago is ravaged and the provisional toll of the natural disaster, facilitated by global warming, is expected to rise sharply.
If it currently stands at 35 dead and around 2,500 injured, the authorities fear a higher number of victims. The prefect has already explained that there could be “hundreds of deaths” or even “thousands”.
Emmanuel Macron also has a special law to “rebuild Mayotte” and “end” the slums, which could take two years according to the new Prime Minister François Bayrou.
