By Tassilo Hummel
MAMOUDZOU (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron was as a result of go to the slums of Mayotte ravaged by Cyclone Chido on Friday, the second day of a go to throughout which he was known as on to hurry up aid efforts within the archipelago of Indian Ocean.
French authorities have solely been in a position to affirm 31 deaths greater than six days after the cyclone, the strongest to hit Mayotte in 90 years, however some have mentioned they worry 1000’s might have been killed.
Among the island’s worst-hit neighborhoods, hillside slums made up of precarious huts largely inhabited by undocumented migrants, haven’t but been accessible to rescuers.
Macron determined to increase his keep and spend the night time in Mayotte after locals begged him to take action.
“I believe it’s a signal of respect and consideration which is near my coronary heart and which permits me to see somewhat extra what the inhabitants goes by,” he advised the press on Thursday night.
Through the first day of his go to, Macron was criticized and booed by some Mayotte residents for what they known as his authorities’s gradual response to the cyclone.
Macron mentioned authorities had been quickly growing their assist and known as for unity. In a heated trade with a booing crowd within the night, he defended the federal government towards Mayotte’s accusations of negligence.
“You might be completely satisfied to be in France. With out France, your scenario can be 10,000 occasions worse,” he mentioned, utilizing an expletive.
Aboubacar Ahamada Mlachahi was one among many individuals struggling to fulfill their primary wants.
“What issues first is water, for kids. Earlier than repairing homes, earlier than repairing something, each day life… We want water,” he mentioned. he advised Reuters.
The 34-year-old development employee from the Comoros mentioned his home was destroyed by the cyclone and he was now squatting on a hillside in Longoni, Mayotte’s cargo port.
“It’s all gone,” he mentioned.
UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS
Authorities have warned that it might be troublesome to determine an correct loss of life toll in a territory that’s house to giant numbers of undocumented migrants from the Comoros, Madagascar and different nations. Official statistics put Mayotte’s inhabitants at 321,000, however many say the determine is far increased.
Some victims had been buried instantly, in accordance with Muslim custom, earlier than their deaths could possibly be counted.
Three out of 4 individuals reside beneath the nationwide poverty line in Mayotte, which stays closely depending on assist from the mainland.
Chido additionally killed a minimum of 73 individuals in Mozambique and 13 in Malawi after reaching mainland Africa, in line with officers in these nations.
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