Rescuers have been sent to the islands, which lie between the coast of Mozambique and Madagascar, but their efforts will be hindered by damage to airports and electricity distribution in an area where clean drinking water is in short supply.
Speaking to Mayotte's la 1ere TV station yesterday, the archipelago's prefect, Francois-Xavier Bieuville, warned that the confirmed toll of 11 dead was likely to rise. He said: "There will certainly be several hundred, maybe we will reach 1,000, even several thousand."
Bieuville said it would be "very difficult to reach a final count," given that most residents are Muslim and bury their dead within 24 hours.
Ambdilwahedou Soumaila, the mayor of the capital, Mamoudzou, had earlier told Agence France-Presse that nine people were seriously injured when Cyclone Chido hit and were fighting for their lives in hospital, while 246 more were badly hurt.
This story is from the December 16, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 16, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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