Richard Kigoy
Appearances
Global News Podcast
Hundreds, possibly thousands, feared dead in Mayotte cyclone
What we're hearing right now is that emergency responders are currently trying to reach most places, you know, trying to clear, so then they can be able to access much of the debris which has covered where homes that majority of the people in the island once lived.
Global News Podcast
Hundreds, possibly thousands, feared dead in Mayotte cyclone
So far, we have 110 French soldiers who had been deployed just before the cyclone struck. And today, the first aircraft are carrying aid, specifically medical supplies, blood for transfusions and 17 medical staff touched down in the airport, which was significantly damaged. We're expecting two more aircrafts to come as well.
Global News Podcast
Hundreds, possibly thousands, feared dead in Mayotte cyclone
And when the French interior minister will be travelling to the island, he'll be coming along with 160 other soldiers plus firefighters who are now going to assist with rescue and clearing operations.
Global News Podcast
Hundreds, possibly thousands, feared dead in Mayotte cyclone
Yeah, it is a very poor island. In fact, actually, it's the poorest of all the French territories. What's happened right now is because of the devastation, the destruction that has been caused. you'd have lots of people who have been displaced. About 300,000 people lived in this island. So preliminary estimates put it at about 100,000 of them don't even have a shelter.
Global News Podcast
Hundreds, possibly thousands, feared dead in Mayotte cyclone
So first of all, access to clean drinking water, which was a huge challenge even before the cyclone, having access to food, to medicine. This is really going to be a major challenge going forward.
Global News Podcast
Hundreds, possibly thousands, feared dead in Mayotte cyclone
Yes, so far the reports that I have are from Cabo Delgado, where the cyclone landed. It's that homes, especially within several neighbourhoods in Pemba City, have been damaged, hospitals and schools as well. We can't quite ascertain the extent of the damage because even communication has been cut off as well as electricity.
Global News Podcast
Hundreds, possibly thousands, feared dead in Mayotte cyclone
and the storm has moved inward now to Nampula province, and there's a possibility that, despite the fact that it's going to weaken, it might reach even the southern tips of Malawi. So that's basically the situation at the moment in Mozambique.