Cyclone Chido, which hit Mayotte on December 14, caused massive destruction. With winds reaching 220 km/h, many precarious habitats were destroyed, leaving hundreds of people homeless. As of Monday, December 16, the provisional death toll was 20, and many people remain missing.
Infrastructure is severely damaged. The water network is almost non-existent and the distribution of electricity will take at least a month. Communication difficulties remain, with telephone networks still partially functional. Relief efforts are focusing on delivering emergency equipment, including 20 tonnes of goods sent from Reunion Island. The Red Cross has deployed its emergency team and is coordinating via its PIROI platform. Emergency aid includes food products, drinking water, medicines and materials to build shelters. The priority is to support the population in this extremely precarious situation and to meet immediate needs. The situation is reminiscent of Hurricane Irma in 2017, but with even more dramatic consequences. Local authorities and relief teams are expecting weeks of intense work to support the population and rebuild the island. _VX
Bruno Garcia, formerly of the Mercure in Baie Nettle and founder of the Mermoz Bar Lounge in Mamoudzou, gave testimony on Saturday, December 14 on TF1 following the devastating passage of cyclone Chido. He described a catastrophe, with 90 to 95% of Mayotte's inhabitants without housing, 95% of buildings destroyed, and the airport out of service. Solidarity is more necessary than ever.
https://faxinfo.fr/en/mayotte-cyclone-chido-un-bilan-humain-et-materiel-devastateur/
