Night curfew imposed to halt looting as death toll rises on Mayotte

The search for missing people continued yesterday on the French territory of Mayotte, after Cyclone Chido devastated the islands on Saturday before sweeping through south-eastern Africa, where the death toll is climbing in Mozambique and Malawi.

- Rachel Savage

Large parts of the main island, Grande-Terre, are still cut off from roads, internet and phone networks, as well as electricity and water.

While 21 people were officially confirmed to have been killed by the storm in Mayotte, officials there said there could be thousands of deaths.

The Red Cross said yesterday it feared 200 of its volunteers were missing.

In northern Mozambique, 34 people died and 23,600 homes were destroyed, authorities said.

Chido killed seven in Malawi and affected almost 35,000, the country's disaster management department said.

Mayotte authorities have ordered a 10 pm to 4 am curfew, which started yesterday, citing fears of looting amid reported food and fuel shortages.

"The situation remains chaotic. A large part of Mayotte does not have electricity or water. The same goes for the telephone network; many still have no news of their loved ones," said Alexis Duclos, the editor in chief of local news service Flash Infos.