Getty ImagesFrance is set to hold a national day of mourning after Cyclone Chido devastated the Indian Ocean region of Mayotte earlier this month.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for a nationwide commemoration during his visit to the island last week, where he was mocked by some island residents who criticized the slow delivery of aid.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, are feared dead when Chido made landfall off the south-eastern coast of Africa on December 14, bringing winds of up to 260 kilometers per hour (160 mph) and rainfall of 250 mm per hour. The first 24 hours.
People across France will pay tribute and flags will be flown at half-mast in a show of solidarity in cities including Paris, Marseille and Lyon.
More than a week after the storm, survivors suffer from water, communications and electricity cuts while rescuers try to provide the help they desperately need.
The island of Mayotte, located between the African mainland and Madagascar, was already the poorest area in France before the hurricane struck.
Chido – the worst storm to hit the archipelago in 90 years – devastated areas where people lived in shacks with metal sheet roofs, leaving fields of dirt and debris.
French officials reported that at least 31 people had died, but the death toll was expected to be much higher with thousands still missing.
After the island of Mayotte, the storm hit the African mainland, Which killed at least 94 people in Mozambique and 13 in Malawi.
Macron pledged to rebuild the destroyed infrastructure and homes on the island after his visit.
After touring The area was flown by helicopter to see the devastationHe said Thursday is a day he will never forget.
During the visit it was Harassment and faced calls to resign From local residents who demanded more aid in the affected areas.
Macron responded by telling locals: “I had nothing to do with the hurricane. You can blame me, but it wasn't me.”
Prime Minister François Bayrou said that the Mayotte tragedy was perhaps the worst natural disaster in the history of France in recent centuries.
More than 100,000 people are still in Red Cross shelters after their homes were destroyed.
