France holds day of mourning for Cyclone Chido’s victims in Mayotte happymamay

France is holding a national day of mourning after Cyclone Chido devastated the Indian Ocean region of Mayotte earlier this month.

French President Emmanuel Macron led the memorial service on Monday by observing a minute of silence for the souls of the storm’s victims.

He called for nationwide commemoration during his visit to the island last week, where he was mocked by some islanders who criticized the slow delivery of aid.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, are feared dead when Chido made landfall off the south-eastern coast of Africa on December 14, bringing winds of up to 260 kilometers per hour (160 mph) and rainfall of 250 mm per hour. The first 24 hours.

Speaking after the minute of silence, French Prime Minister François Bayrou said it was “a symbol of our solidarity with all those who suffer.”

“It is a commitment to ensuring the presence of the national community, rebuilding Mayotte and making sure that the people of Mayotte feel surrounded by an entire country,” he added.

Flags were flown at half-mast in a show of solidarity in French cities including Paris, Marseille and Lyon.

A minute of silence was also held in Mayotte, where more than a week after the storm, survivors suffer from water, communications and electricity cuts, while rescuers try to provide the help they desperately need.

Estelle Youssoufa, the French MP for Mayotte, told the BBC that 90% of the island, which lies between the African mainland and Madagascar, had been destroyed.

She added: “All public services are suspended.”

“Those who are sick cannot get help or go to the only hospital on the island, which has been almost completely destroyed.”

Mayotte Governor François-Xavier Beauville said a field hospital would start operating on Tuesday and would be able to treat up to 100 people a day.

Mayotte was already the poorest region in France before the hurricane hit.

Chido – the worst storm to hit the archipelago in 90 years – devastated areas where people lived in shacks with metal sheet roofs, leaving fields of dirt and debris.

French officials reported that at least 31 people had died, but the death toll was expected to be much higher with thousands still missing.

After the island of Mayotte, the storm hit the African mainland, Which killed at least 94 people in Mozambique and 13 in Malawi.

Macron pledged to rebuild destroyed infrastructure and homes in Mayotte after his visit.

After touring The area was flown by helicopter to see the devastationHe said Thursday is a day he will never forget.

During the visit it was Harassment and faced calls to resign From local residents who demanded more aid in the affected areas.

Macron responded by telling locals: “I had nothing to do with the hurricane. You can blame me, but it wasn’t me.”

Prime Minister François Bayrou said the Mayotte tragedy was perhaps the worst natural disaster in centuries of French history.

More than 100,000 people are still in Red Cross shelters after their homes were destroyed.