Mayotte is engulfed by cyclone, tens of thousands of residents without water. The number of victims may increase

Tens of thousands of residents are still without water in Mayotte after the French Indian Ocean territory was devastated by Cyclone Chido, as rescuers scramble to find missing people.

Preliminary figures from France's Ministry of Health report that 22 people have lost their lives, but the prefect of Mayotte has warned that the number could rise.

Health workers are concerned that infectious diseases could spread, as residents have reported a lack of clean drinking water and stores are running low on supplies.

Islanders spent a first night under curfew between 10pm on Tuesday and 4am on Wednesday as part of measures to prevent robberies.

"Everyone is rushing to the shops for water. There is a general shortage,” a citizen told AFP as he walked with a few bottles in hand in the Pamandzi community outside the archipelago's main island.

The authorities have said that their priority is to restore and operate the damaged water plants. On Wednesday, they said the water system had been partially restored and they hoped 50% of the island's population would have access to water by evening.

The French government said 120 tonnes of food would be distributed very soon, with President Emmanuel Macron planning to visit Mayotte on Thursday.

Half of the territory remains without electricity. An imposed curfew requires people to stay in their homes for six hours at night to prevent robberies. "We don't have electricity. When night falls, there are people who take advantage of that situation," Ambdilwahedou Soumaila, the mayor of the capital, Mamoudzou, told Radio France Internationale.

Mayotte is one of the poorest parts of France, most of its inhabitants live in shacks. Chido, the worst storm to hit the archipelago in 90 years, brought winds of more than 225 km/h on Saturday, flattening areas where people live in tin-roofed shacks and leaving fields of dirt and debris.

Happening now...

21:45 BOTA

New Zealand and Australia fall off the map of countries safe from terrorism! From Christchurch to Sydney, the history of religiously motivated crimes

Nga Adrian Thano 21:20 ideas

Edhe sikur agjentët e BKH të jenë të papjekur e të nxituar, a duhet të flasë me këtë gjuhë Kryeministri?

Nga Adrian Thano

21:11 SPORT

Egnatia ndal vrullin e Dinamos, rrogozhinasit triumfojnë në Tiranë dhe ndjekin hap pas hapi Elbasanin kryesues

21:10 SPORT

Tetova cannot resist the temptation, not even two weeks after the heart surgery he appears on the Egnatia bench

21:05 SPORT

Just like Mbappe, Haaland and Kane/ Lautaro Martinez unstoppable with Inter

21:02 BOTA

The toll from the Sydney massacre rises to 16, with 40 others injured. Four children in serious condition

20:55 HAPPENING NOW

Manipulated Albanian institutions by presenting herself as the Prime Minister's niece/ Ermes Hoxhalli confesses

20:44 BOTA

"The Americans are already here"/ Merz publishes footage from the meeting in Berlin between Trump and Zelensky's representatives, warmly welcomes Kushner and...

20:38 BOTA

India tightens pollution restrictions as Delhi's air quality worsens

20:36 POLITICS

Artan Fuga mocks the DP for the "mistake" with the Ombudsman's signatures: The story of shame continues!

20:28 MISTERE&KURIOZITETE

NASA captures strange formation in the Sahara, older than dinosaurs

20:24 POLITICS

The Ombudsman brings the DP/Ndregjoni into the fray: Votes for Endri Shabani, a national political scandal!

20:21 BOTA

Meloni: We have been by Ukraine's side since day one, we do not miss the Soviet Union

20:19 EKONOMI&SOCIALE

The share of employees with minimum wage increases/ The third quarter brings surprises in the labor market

Want to read more news