France observes a day of mourning for victims of Cyclone Chido in its Mayotte territory off Africa

PARIS (AP) — France marked a day of mourning Monday for victims of Cyclone Chido, which devastated its poorest territory, Mayotte, over a week ago.

The cyclone was the most destructive to hit Mayotte in 90 years and caused extensive damage to the island off Africa's east coast. At least 35 deaths have been reported, with around 2,500 injured.

The actual toll is likely much higher due to the widespread destruction, precarious living conditions for a large migrant population and others and the Muslim practice of burying the dead within 24 hours.

Locals said many victims had stayed home, not believing the storm would be so severe.

In an informal neighborhood near Mayotte’s capital, Zaharia Youssouf sat in her damaged home, remembering her last conversation with her husband, Baco Houmadi. She had sought refuge in a shelter while Houmadi, who had heart problems, stayed behind with their son.

“I called him three times,” she said. “The first time I asked if he was OK. The second time he told me that he and our son had eaten. The third call, I said, ‘Sweetie, can you cook for me, because there are bananas and fish at home?’ He said, ‘I’m not cooking for you.’ After that, I couldn’t reach him.”

Houmadi’s brother-in-law, Saandi Mbae, was with him when he died.

“We were under the table, and the tin was blowing, and we couldn’t go out,” Mbae said. “At the start, we were talking, but then we couldn’t continue because he had a problem breathing. I looked at him again, and he really couldn’t breathe. Then I realized it was over — that God would do what he would do.”

Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte on Dec. 14, disrupting water and electricity supplies and severing communications. It also left thousands displaced. Many are struggling to rebuild.

“At least I had a man in the house. Even if he didn’t work, he brought something home," Youssouf said. "The house is broken, and if he was here, he could repair it.”

Chido also hit southeastern Africa. In Mozambique, the National Institute of Risk and Disaster Management said Sunday that 94 people had been killed.

In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron stood for a minute of silence at the Elysee Palace. He visited Mayotte days after the cyclone.

“The people of Mayotte are in the hearts of all French people," Macron wrote on X.

Mayotte lawmaker Estelle Youssouffa accused the French government of neglecting the island, noting that newly appointed Prime Minister François Bayrou was under pressure to announce his cabinet.

“The prime minister seems to be considering the announcement of a reshuffling of his cabinet on a national day of mourning,” Youssouffa said on France Inter radio. “It’s disgraceful, contemptuous, and deeply mediocre. Nobody cares about Mayotte — it’s appalling!”

This is the first national day of mourning in response to a climate-related disaster since the Fifth Republic of France was established in the 1950s. Previous ones have been mainly to mourn former French presidents or victims of terrorist attacks.

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Mednick reported from Mayotte. Associated Press writer Charles Mangwiro in Maputo, Mozambique contributed to this report.