The Mayotte archipelago, hit by Cyclone Chido, now shows a dramatic toll of 39 dead and more than 4,000 injured, while relief efforts intensify.
Cyclone Chido, which swept through Mayotte on December 14, left behind a picture of desolation. With the death toll now set at 39 deaths, according to a press release from the prefect of Mayotte, the scale of the disaster is becoming clearer. The Interior Ministry also revealed that 4,136 people suffered minor injuries and 124 others were seriously injured, reflecting the violence of the event.
Search and rescue operations continue to be deployed on the archipelago. Victim identification missions are carried out in collaboration with local authorities and associations, while drones are used to comb the disaster areas. Efforts are focused on around fifteen sectors identified as priorities.
Faced with the medical emergency, a field hospital was set up in a stadium east of Mamoudzou. Equipped with a maternity ward and two operating theatres, this temporary establishment can accommodate up to 100 patients per day for consultations and ensure 30 hospitalizations, thus providing crucial support to the affected population.
Essential infrastructure is not left out. Water distribution has been strengthened, with now 100,000 liters per day delivered to residents. In total, more than 630,000 liters of water were transported to the island, a considerable effort to meet the primary needs of the victims. The collection of household waste, interrupted by the storm, is gradually resuming, with 11 SIDEVAM trucks in action to clean the island.
In terms of communications, 63% of the population can once again use the mobile network, while 37% of households have access to electricity, or around 20,000 homes. Restrictions on fuel have been lifted, although the limit of one jerry can per person remains, a measure aimed at avoiding shortages.
Finally, an air bridge was established between Mayotte, Reunion and France, allowing the transport of more than 100 tonnes of material daily. From December 15 to 24, 72 flights were carried out, transporting reinforcements, equipment, food and water, illustrating the massive mobilization to come to the aid of this French archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
This event, the most devastating in nearly nine decades, tests Mayotte's resilience and underlines the importance of national solidarity in times of crisis.
