Ten days after a cyclone devastated the archipelago of Mayotte, a minute of silence was held in France on Monday during a national day of mourning to show solidarity with the Mahorais.
Prime Minister François Bayrou gathered staff in the courtyard of Matignon to observe the silence. President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte stood on the steps of the Élysée Palace to participate, while all flags in France were lowered to half-mast.
Over 8,000 kilometres from mainland France, Mayotte’s Prefect François-Xavier Bieuville led a tribute ceremony in Zakia Madi Square, Mamoudzou. Residents, firefighters, police, and gendarmes attended and sang ‘La Marseillaise’ a cappella at the end of the observance.
The cyclone – the most devastating in Mayotte in 90 years – destroyed precarious housing and caused enormous damage in France’s poorest department. Emergency services have been working to restore essential services such as water, electricity, and communication networks.
“90% of Mayotte is destroyed, 90% of homes have lost their roofs. We have no water, no food, and relief efforts are still struggling to reach affected areas,” said Estelle Youssouffa, MP for Mayotte’s first constituency, on France Inter on Monday morning.
The provisional toll of the natural disaster stands at 35 dead and approximately 2,500 injured. Authorities, fearing a higher number of victims, have launched a search mission. Emergency teams are still working around the clock to search for survivors and supply desperately needed aid. Authorities warn that the death toll will rise significantly.
