The French prefect of the cyclone-stricken island of Mayotte fears that hundreds of people have died due to the natural disaster, considering a possible death toll of a thousand. Prefect François-Xavier Bieuville did not specify the basis of his estimate.
Mayotte, a French overseas department northwest of Madagascar, has a population of approximately 310,000. The official death toll from the cyclone, which hit the island yesterday, remains at fourteen.
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau stated last night that Mayotte is largely devastated and also anticipates a significant number of fatalities.
Source: NOS