Saint-Denis: Mayotte, a French territory off the coast of Africa that was hit hard by tropical storm Chido, has imposed an emergency curfew starting Tuesday evening as part of a campaign to stabilize the region of more than 300,000 people. The storms this past weekend were truly severe.
Some are even saying that this is the biggest storm in 90 years. Authorities initially estimated that the death toll could be close to 1,000, or even a few thousand. Today, rescuers found the bodies of 22 more victims. The number of injured is quite high, reaching more than 1,400.
According to the curfew, People must stay indoors from 10 p.m. to almost 4 a.m. This is to prevent thieves from stealing items from collapsed houses or buildings. A lawmaker said that the biggest challenge for authorities is the difficulty in counting the number of dead or missing victims because some are undocumented migrants (illegal immigrants).
A large number of victims were swept away by the mud, swept away by the wind, or crushed under objects. Indeed, it is the illegal immigrants who suffer the most. Many of them live in shantytowns. On the other hand, if they lose their relatives, they don’t dare to report it to the authorities because they are afraid that they will be found out to be illegal immigrants.
The MP quoted an imam as saying that she had buried more than 30 victims in just one day. It is not known whether this number was recorded in the official death toll. If not, it is a clear example that some victims died without being properly registered.
Mayotte regional leaders are preparing to inspect the areas most affected by the storm. They have been told that the survivors of the incident are living in extremely difficult conditions. They are living in poverty because the storm affected almost 70% of the population of Mayotte. Some areas have reached the point of collapse, with buildings completely destroyed and piles of rubble.
To solve this problem, the French government has sent aid in the form of clean water And food by military plane to the affected areas. But the problems have not yet been alleviated. In particular, power outages and communication difficulties. That’s why those living in the most remote areas still can’t get help. French President Macron will travel to Mayotte to declare a national mourning there.
