Paris, Dec 18 (IANS) French President Emmanuel Macron expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday after India extended its support in the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, a devastating storm that struck the French archipelago of Mayotte on Saturday.
According to Meteo-France, Cyclone Chido was the strongest storm to hit Mayotte in more than 90 years.
The catastrophic winds flattened entire neighbourhoods, destroyed electrical grids, and caused significant damage to critical infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and the airport’s control tower.
Prime Minister Modi had earlier conveyed his condolences, stating, “Deeply saddened by the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido in Mayotte. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. I am confident that under President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership, France will overcome this tragedy with resilience and resolve. India stands in solidarity with France and is ready to extend all possible assistance.”
Responding to PM Modi’s message, President Macron wrote on social media platform X, “Thank you for your thoughts and support, dear Narendra Modi.”
Cyclone Chido, a Category 4 storm, wreaked havoc as it swept through the southwestern Indian Ocean over the weekend.
The cyclone first impacted northern Madagascar before intensifying rapidly and making landfall in Mayotte with wind speeds exceeding 220 km per hour (136 miles per hour).
The storm, which affected the archipelago of more than 300,000 residents, continued its destructive path into northern Mozambique, where it caused additional damage before gradually weakening.
French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou remarked, “Everyone understands that this was a cyclone that was unexpectedly violent,” during an inter-ministerial meeting.
The cyclone’s toll has been staggering, with officials fearing that fatalities could be in the thousands.
According to Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville, “I think there will definitely be several hundred, perhaps we will come close to a thousand or even several thousand” deaths, as reported by broadcaster Mayotte la Premiere.”
Initial reports confirmed at least 11 deaths, but the numbers are expected to rise as rescue efforts continue.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) expressed concern on Tuesday over the fate of more than 200 of its volunteers feared missing in Mayotte, a French Indian Ocean territory, after Cyclone Chido devastated the islands.
“Winds of up to 220 km/h caused by Cyclone Chido have devastated the French overseas territory of Mayotte. It’s feared that more than 200 … volunteers are missing,” IFRC said on X.
–IANS
khz/
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by TodayIndia.news and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of TodayIndia.news We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, TodayIndia.news takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
