Rachel Wright
Appearances
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
A woman with an orange scarf tied around her hair shouts across a car park at a man surrounded by French police. He is Bruno Retailleau, and he's the French interior minister, because despite being nearly 8,000 kilometres away, these islands are actually part of France. He had just arrived on the island with two other French ministers and hundreds of French troops.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
The minister replies that's why he is here, to help. Despite the woman being upset, she politely thanks the minister as he turns to meet local police, security and emergency teams. The sights that await him are apocalyptic. Saturday's cyclone saw winds of more than 220 kilometres per hour, the worst storm here in 90 years.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
This man, John Ballos, who lives in the capital, Mamadzou, said he was surprised he wasn't among the dead.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
Around 84% of the people on these islands live below the poverty line. Many of them are migrants who have come from the west coast of Africa, hoping to get to Europe. The islands are densely populated and a third of people live in shanty towns, which the winds ripped through, destroying buildings and cutting off water, communication and electricity.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
The island's prefect said it was possible that thousands of people had died, but that it would take days before they knew how many. These survivors were queuing up to buy food and water.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
Earlier today, Eric Samvar, the deputy head of the Red Cross in another French island in the Indian Ocean, told the BBC how difficult it was to bring in help.
Global News Podcast
The rebels turned rulers providing law and order in Syria
But the French authorities say they're stepping up the search for survivors and mobilising support and resources to the island.