Mayotte: survivors describe the horror of the cyclone

The evening Cyclone Chido hit Mayotte, a French territory within the Indian Ocean, Zinedine was at dwelling, a small home made from corrugated iron and wooden the place he lives with eight of his family.

Zinedine had acquired a warning from the authorities concerning the cyclone, however he didn’t take it too critically.

“I assumed it was just like the years earlier than, after they warned {that a} cyclone was coming however it might simply rain a bit. So we stayed dwelling.”

This time, nonetheless, the island was about to be hit by winds of greater than 200 km/h – probably the most highly effective cyclone to hit the island in nearly a century.

Up to now, 31 individuals have died, based on French authorities, and 1000’s extra are feared lacking.

When one other, extra pressing cyclone warning got here, Zinedine sprang into motion.

“I advised my mother it’s by no means occurred earlier than that they ship a message like this, so I believe this time it’s severe.”

He means that they go to their neighbors’ home, a brick home not removed from his personal, in a poor neighborhood on the heights of Petite Terre de Mayotte, the smaller of his two islands.

However his mom did not wish to go and he felt obligated to remain dwelling along with his household. This 20-year-old tourism scholar is the eldest in his household and feels liable for them.

When the storm began, he and his mom hid his youthful siblings below a desk. Then there was a loud noise.

“The iron roof of our home flew off. We panicked and appeared for shelter. There have been sheets of metallic, wooden and different massive objects flying all over the place.”

He took his siblings to the neighbor’s cabin when he circled and seen his mom hadn’t adopted him.

“I made a decision to return exterior to search for my mom though it was harmful with the wind and all the pieces. I might moderately die than let my mom die.”

His mom stood in the midst of their broken dwelling, holding a one-year-old child. She was terrified and did not wish to let the newborn go. Zinedine snatched it from her arms and ran to present it to the neighbors. He finally needed to carry his mom out of the home.

“Fortunately we’re all secure however we misplaced all the pieces. The one issues we had been capable of save had been our papers and our diplomas.”

He’s now making an attempt to rebuild his household’s home. Discovering new constructing supplies is extremely tough in Mayotte proper now as a result of excessive demand, and he could not afford a brand new roof for his home. So he discovered a few of the corrugated iron sheets that had been washed away by the storm and plans to reuse them.

“I attempt to do what I can. Although I am not a builder, I wish to do it myself as a result of I do not know if the authorities will assist us.”

Throughout Mayotte, others like Zinedine are attempting to do the identical, to the sound of hammers ringing late into the evening.

However as resourceful as Mayotte residents are, they’re additionally sad with the dearth of assist they are saying they’ve acquired from the federal government.

Throughout French President Emmanuel Macron’s go to to the islands on Thursday, he was booed while trying to give a speech. Whereas visiting a hospital, pissed off employees complained of being overwhelmed.

Most of our interlocutors in Mayotte had nonetheless not acquired any assist from the State, 5 days after the cyclone.

“We solely acquired donations of meals from volunteers who additionally gave us garments and water. The city corridor tried to assist us a bit however that’s all,” says Yasmine Moussa, 18 years outdated, mom of three youngsters.

She took her three boys, the youngest simply three months outdated, to the closest shelter, a highschool within the Labattoir neighborhood, shortly after receiving the storm warning Friday afternoon.

“On the day of the cyclone, my youngsters had been crying due to the noise. Once we appeared exterior, we noticed corrugated iron roofs flying all over the place. They stored asking me what was occurring, why all the pieces was breaking,” he mentioned. -she declared.

“I advised them it was simply wind and rain, however the subsequent day after they noticed all the pieces was destroyed. They could not sleep that evening.”

When she returned dwelling, she may barely acknowledge her personal neighborhood.

“Mango bushes had fallen in the course of the storm and had been blocking the roads. My neighbor needed to present me my home as a result of I did not even discover it. There was water all over the place, the bathrooms had been damaged, my TV, all the pieces was damaged. spoil. I attempted to avoid wasting what I may.

“I used to be in tears, I by no means imagined this could occur.”

Now she has nowhere to go. She says the situations on the shelter are respectable however she wants a house to take her youngsters. They now sleep on mattresses in one of many college’s lecture rooms with a dozen different households.

“It is not regular to sleep like this. The doorways do not shut and typically strangers are available. I concern for the security of my youngsters and that they are going to attempt to rob us.”

The Crimson Cross advised the BBC there have been no less than 100,000 individuals in shelters round Mayotte.

President Macron has promised compensation to the uninsured, who make up the vast majority of the inhabitants, however he has not specified how a lot they are going to obtain.

The wants are immense: nearly all of the islands have to be rebuilt. However some on the precise in France say spending an excessive amount of cash in Mayotte will solely encourage extra undocumented migrants to come back to French territory.

Again in La Vigie, Zinedine says he understands their objections however he doesn’t agree.

“On the finish of the day, we’re people. And we want assist.”