Mayotte authorities fear hunger and disease; Race to help hurricane survivors by Reuters

Written by Jean-Stephan Bros and Abdo Mustafa

PARIS/MORONI (Reuters) – Authorities on the island of Mayotte were rushing on Tuesday to deliver food and water to residents affected by a devastating weekend hurricane, struggling to stop the spread of hunger, disease and lawlessness in France’s overseas territories, officials said.

They added that hundreds or even thousands had died in the debris of Typhoon Chido. The storm destroyed large parts of the archipelago off East Africa, which is France’s poorest overseas territory.

With many areas still difficult to reach, it may take days to determine the full extent of damage and deaths. So far, 22 deaths and more than 1,400 infections have been confirmed, Ambedeloahedou Soumela, mayor of the capital, Mamoudzo, told Radio France Internationale on Tuesday morning.

“The priority today is water and food,” Sumaila said. “There are people who have unfortunately died as the bodies have begun to decompose, which may create a health problem.”

“We have no electricity. When night falls, there are people who take advantage of the situation.”

Rescue workers are searching for survivors amid the rubble of shanty towns that were swept by winds reaching speeds of 200 kilometers per hour.

Siti Rosat Soili, communications officer for the city government, told Reuters that several people had been rescued in Mamoudzou, adding that more than 700 security personnel had been mobilized to assist residents and enhance security.

French President Emmanuel Macron said after an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday evening that he would visit Mayotte in the “coming days.”

Mayotte is a major destination for illegal immigrants from the nearby Comoros islands, and its capital, Moroni, has faced unrest in recent years. More than three-quarters of its population of approximately 321,000 people live in relative poverty.

French meteorological agency Meteo France said Chido was the strongest storm to hit the island of Mayotte in more than 90 years.