Curfew Imposed in Mayotte After Devastating Cyclone Chido
Mayotte Imposes curfew After Devastating Cyclone Chido
MAYOTTE, FRANCE – A nighttime curfew has been imposed on the small, densely populated French island of Mayotte three days after the powerful Cyclone Chido ripped through the territory. French military aircraft continue to deliver rescue teams and vital supplies to the island in the wake of the storm, which is the most intense to hit the Indian Ocean archipelago in 90 years.
The official death toll from Saturday’s cyclone stands at 22, with over 1,400 injured, including 48 in critical condition, according to the latest report from Mayotte Hospital, cited by Ambdilwahedou Soumaila, the mayor of the capital, Mamoudzou. Though, authorities fear the true number of fatalities could be in the hundreds, or even thousands.
The curfew, in effect from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. each night, aims to stabilize the situation and prevent looting of damaged buildings.soumaila plans to visit the hardest-hit areas on Tuesday, were survivors are still grappling with the destruction. Nearly 70% of Mayotte’s population has been severely affected, with entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble.
Aid efforts are ongoing, with French military aircraft delivering water and food daily. Though, power outages and communication disruptions persist, leaving many without basic necessities. The island’s main hospital remains severely damaged, and a field hospital is expected to arrive on Thursday.
A nearby airbase on Reunion Island is serving as a staging point for emergency relief supplies. workers said Tuesday that delivering food and water is a top priority, after medical equipment was sent days earlier. French president Emmanuel Macron has pledged to visit Mayotte soon and declare a national period of mourning.
Cyclone Chido is the deadliest storm to hit the territory in nearly a century, highlighting the vulnerability of the island’s impoverished population. The cyclone made landfall on Saturday on the densely populated island of approximately 300,000 people, packing winds exceeding 136 mph, according to the French meteorological service, and leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.