Shingai Nyoka
Appearances
Global News Podcast
French ministers arrive in Mayotte after devastating cyclone
From what we understand, rescuers are racing against time, working under really difficult conditions to try get to some of those places that have been cut off in the wake of the devastation. The Cyclone Chilo, we understand, hit Largely the poorest areas. So these were shanty towns that were built on the hillside, built with very flimsy material like corrugated sheeting.
Global News Podcast
French ministers arrive in Mayotte after devastating cyclone
And so the rescuers are working to try to find survivors. But people were swept away. They were buried under the rubble. Trees were uprooted. Buildings were destroyed. And so the infrastructure has also been destroyed. The roads were damaged. So it's made it incredibly difficult to try to access some of those places. And so we've heard that so far the death toll is in the dozens.
Global News Podcast
French ministers arrive in Mayotte after devastating cyclone
But as you mentioned there, it could rise to several hundreds and even several thousands, as suggested by local authorities.
Global News Podcast
French ministers arrive in Mayotte after devastating cyclone
Yes, it is. And they've arrived there with support. They've brought firefighters as well as soldiers. We understand that there's a lot of help that is still trying to get to Mayotte via ship and via air. Hundreds of support of rescuers are on the ground and there's an expectation that Up to 800 will be deployed to that area, but it's under really difficult conditions.
Global News Podcast
French ministers arrive in Mayotte after devastating cyclone
As you point out there, the airport equipment was destroyed. And so the primary focus right now is not just to provide medical assistance, shelter and food, but also to restore some of those critical services, including communication, electricity and water.
Global News Podcast
French ministers arrive in Mayotte after devastating cyclone
It's a territory which had a lot of challenges, one might say. It is actually the poorest overseas territory under France, but it also was plagued by a lot of problems. There's a lot of illegal immigration. It's a small population, about 300,000 people, and there are about 100,000 illegal immigrants. There was a lot of gang violence. There was also a lot of social unrest.
Global News Podcast
French ministers arrive in Mayotte after devastating cyclone
It's a territory that's very reliant on support and assistance from France. And so even under the best of conditions, it was a territory that was struggling.
Global News Podcast
French ministers arrive in Mayotte after devastating cyclone
Yes, it is. And it's weakening, thankfully, for a lot of people as it's moved westwards. It made landfall in Mozambique, caused a lot of flash floods, uprooted trees, destroyed buildings, and is now making its way towards southern Malawi and Zimbabwe, where we're really bracing for a lot of flooding.