The situation is still critical in Mayotte, almost a month after the passage of Cyclone Chido. On December 14, this tropical cyclone, category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale (which has 5), devastated everything as it passed over the island.
Gusts over 220 km/h destroyed most of the territory, leaving thousands of residents without homes, electricity and drinking water. Nearly a month after this disaster, the toll was 39 dead and 124 seriously injured who were treated. 4,232 minor injuries have also been recorded for the moment, but the toll would in reality be much higher.
The government is trickling in
To support the Mahorais, Emmanuel Macron landed on the island a few days after theth cyclone. But his attitude and his moralizing speech literally shocked public opinion. After French Prime Minister Bayrou, it was then the turn of the Minister of National Education, Elisabeth Borne to settle down on the island.
Here again, a controversy arose since a sequence showing the famous 63-year-old politician turning our backs on teachers in distress, in the middle of a conversation, created a buzz. “What everyone needs to know is that for 15 days, in all the slums around here, Petite Terre, Grande Terre, Kawéni, Cavani, no one has come. You can say what you want on the news, reality is there” said one of the professors to the minister.
The minister’s reaction was described as “disastrous” and “unacceptable” by other political figures.
Marine Le Pen: a notable arrival on the island
For a few hours, it is Marine Le Pen who travels the island of Mayotte to also provide support to the inhabitants. As reported by BFMTV, a collision took place this Tuesday, January 7, 2025, between a barge on board of which Marine Le Pen was and a barge arriving in the opposite direction.
-We learn that at least three people were slightly injuredincluding discomfort, but not the leader of the National Rally (RN). An incident occurred during a relay between Grande-Terre and Petite-Terre by barge, so that Marine Le Pen could reach the airport.
“We don’t know what happened, they (the barges, editor’s note) crashed into them,” underlined Saidali Boina Hamissi, departmental delegate of the RN at the microphone of BFMTV. If “the vast majority of people found themselves on the ground, (Marine Le Pen) remained seated, clinging to her chair”, he added.
Fortunately, Marine Le Pen was finally able to reach the airport and arrived on Sunday January 5 in Mayotte.
