The French island of Mayotte is struggling to recover after a hurricane overwhelmed hospitals – nationwide

One week after its worst Hurricane Nearly a century later, and one day after a tense presidential visit, the impoverished French island of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean is still struggling to count the dead, restore basic services and help beleaguered residents.

Typhoon Chido caused major devastation throughout the archipelago. Hospitals, already under severe pressure, are overwhelmed with patients suffering not only from hurricane-related injuries but also from dehydration, malnutrition and disease.

At the capital’s main Mayotte hospital, Mamoudzou, doctors faced a series of crises.

“We lost 40% of patient rooms, or about 50 to 60 beds,” said Dr. Roger Serhal, head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “There are a lot of patients who come to the hospital, and we have no place to receive them.”

As Chido battered the archipelago last weekend with winds of 220 kilometers per hour (136 mph), Serhal and his team were able to deliver three babies, including by Caesarean section.

Structural damage to the hospital has forced staff to triage patients, prioritizing the most serious cases. Although the official death toll is still 35, according to the French Interior Ministry on Saturday, the number of those seriously injured has risen to 78, and another 2,432 were slightly injured. Health Minister Genevieve Dariuszk warned that any estimates were likely to be far underestimates “compared to the scale of the disaster.”

Emergency aid was delivered by air and sea. Since the hurricane, 31 tons of food and 108 tons of water have arrived, with an additional 1.6 million liters of water expected to arrive on Monday on a container ship, according to the Interior Ministry.

The hospital is operating at 50% of its capacity, while 109 patients have been evacuated to mainland France to receive urgent care. Three advanced medical centers have been established on Grande-Terre, the main island of Mayotte, to meet the growing needs.

The storm destroyed entire neighborhoods. Many people ignored the warnings, thinking the storm would not be that severe. Worse still, many migrants have avoided shelters for fear of deportation, authorities said, adding that there could be hundreds or perhaps thousands dead.

Doctors fear that the lack of clean water and electricity – combined with overcrowded living conditions – could set the stage for a health crisis. “Patients come because their illnesses are not being treated, and there is no water or electricity. We are concerned about epidemics, such as the cholera outbreak that we stopped only months ago,” said Dr. Vincent Gilles, the hospital’s emergency medical director.

Hospital staff continue to work tirelessly, but resources are running dangerously low. “If it rains, it will be disastrous,” Sarhal said.

Among the patients struggling to recover is Sindo Mohammadi, 54, who broke his arm and sprained his ankle during the storm that completely destroyed his home. Speaking from his hospital bed, Mohammadi expressed his despair for his family. He said: “My mother is sick, I am sick, and my child is sick.” “They need to eat, but I am the one who takes care of the food, and now we don’t have anything.” With six children to support, Mohammadi is among countless residents left homeless and destitute.

Trending now

• Two dead and 60 injured after a car ran over a crowd of people at a Christmas market in Germany

• Most Canadians now want early election as Trudeau’s support drops again: poll

“I’m not alone,” he said. “There are many of us who have lost everything: our homes, our food. I want the government to take care of us, and provide us with food and a place to sleep.”

Mayotte, a densely populated archipelago of more than 320,000 people, is also home to an estimated 100,000 migrants, many of whom live in precarious conditions.

the poorAn overseas region like France, and by extension the European Union, has long suffered from systemic neglect and underinvestment. About 75% of its population lives in poverty, and the archipelago’s infrastructure was ill-equipped to withstand a disaster of this magnitude. The devastation caused by Typhoon Chido has exacerbated these challenges, leaving many residents with little confidence in the government’s ability to provide adequate and timely relief.

Efforts are being made to provide emergency aid, including airlifts of water and food, but the scale of the needs is staggering. Mayotte Airport remains closed to civilian flights due to damage, further complicating logistics.

During his visit on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and pledged to rebuild, but faced criticism from frustrated residents over the slow pace of aid.

Interior Minister Bruno Ritello described the archipelago as “totally devastated,” and painted a bleak picture — with about 70% of the population severely affected by the disaster, with many left homeless and vulnerable. For now, the island’s residents and exhausted medical staff are left to face Chido’s horrific consequences, day after day.

& Edition 2024 The Canadian Press