Rescue workers, including reinforcements hustled in from France, rushed to deal with widespread damage from Cyclone Chido on the French Indian Ocean island territory of Mayotte on Sunday.
The territory’s prefect, Francois-Xavier Bieuville, warned on local media that the numbers of casualties seemed sure to be high.
“I think there will certainly be several hundreds, maybe we will reach a thousand, even several thousands,” Bieuville said on local channel Mayotte La 1ere.
The French Interior Ministry, meanwhile, warned “it will be difficult to account for all victims,” saying that at present a figure could not be determined.
Major damage to often makeshift accommodation
Cyclone Chido hit Mayotte on Saturday, packing winds of more than 200 kilometers (120 miles) per hour, damaging housing, government buildings, the airport and a hospital.
Forecaster Meteo-France said it was the strongest storm to hit the Indian Ocean island not far from Madagascar in 90 years.
The new French government, only sworn in hours earlier by President Emmanuel Macron, held an emergency meeting on Saturday and dispatched more than 200 rescue workers and firefighters to the islands.
Aerial footage shared by the French gendarmerie showed the wreckage of hundreds of makeshift houses strewn across the hills of one of Mayotte’s islands, which have been a focal point for illegal immigration from nearby Comoros.
Macron, EU’s von der Leyen pledge assistance
“My thoughts are with our compatriots in Mayotte, who have gone through the most horrific few hours, and who have, for some, lost everything, lost their lives,” President Macron said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also pledged additional assistance via Brussels.
“Our hearts go out to France following the devastating passage of Cyclone Chido through Mayotte,” she posted in French online. “We are ready to provide support in the days to come.”
World Health Organization chief Tedros Ghebreyesus similarly said the WHO “stands ready to support communities in need of essential healthcare.”
The regional Red Cross organization PIROI also said it was ready to intervene.
Why ascertaining a precise death toll won’t be easy
Several additional hurdles face authorities besides the usual problems when responding to a major storm in remote island territories.
Regional prefect Bieuville noted that with a majority Muslim population on Mayotte, who tend to look to bury the dead within 24 hours, recording numbers could be complex.
Beyond this, Mayotte is thought to be home to roughly 100,000 undocumented migrants, many from nearby Comoros, who might be reticent to seek help from authorities out of fear of being sent home.
The island is significantly poorer than the rest of France, with three quarters of residents living below the French poverty line, and has struggled for years with gang violence and social unrest. A water shortage earlier this year exacerbated these issues.
An air bridge from fellow French overseas territory La Reunion, on the other side of Madagscar, was being set up to improve supply.
The disaster is the first major challenge to hit the new French government led by Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, days after his appointment following the previous administration’s collapse.
Cyclone Chido moves on to Comoros, Mozambique
The cyclone went on to reach Africa, hitting norhern Mozambique on Sunday, but the full extent of the impact was not clear.
Internet monitor NetBlocks said heavy rains and winds had damaged power and telecommunications infrastructure.
Authorities in Comoros, meanwhile, said two people were slightly injured, 24 displaced and 21 homes were destroyed as the storm passed.
msh/sri (AFP, Reuters)
