Macron visits cyclone-hit Mayotte, faces public pleas for urgent aid

NAIROBI, Kenya

French President Emmanuel Macron visited the country’s overseas territory of Mayotte on Thursday to assess the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido.

The storm last weekend left at least 31 dead and thousands homeless in the French archipelago, situated between East Africa and Madagascar, but the toll is feared to rise.

Macron flew over the main island by helicopter before arriving at Mayotte’s Central Hospital in the capital Mamoudzou to meet victims and health care workers.

Kwezi TV, one of Mayotte’s leading news outlets, reported that as the president entered the facility, a hospital worker shouted: “We want water.”

Macron was greeted by Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville, Water Prefect Gilles Cantal, who came out from retirement to help relief efforts, and Sub-Prefect Frederic Sautron, who came from Reunion – a French island territory farther in the Indian Ocean – as reinforcement.

On the tarmac, as the French president met with victims, Kwezi Tv reported on an emotional scene that unfolded as a woman pleaded with Macron.

“Please stay, don’t leave too quickly,” she said, adding: “We can only pay in cash. What are we going to eat?” Macron, visibly moved, placed his hand on her shoulder.

The cyclone caused widespread damage, particularly in informal settlements, and left critical infrastructure in disarray.

Authorities in Mayotte fear the death toll from Cyclone Chido could reach thousands, as rescue operations continue in the hardest-hit areas.

Officials have yet to release an official count, citing difficulties in accessing remote regions devastated by the storm.