French President Emmanuel Macron has canceled his participation in the upcoming European Council summit in Brussels to visit Mayotte, a French overseas territory in the Indian Ocean devastated by a powerful tropical cyclone.
The cyclone, named Chido, struck the island on Saturday, leaving widespread destruction.
Macron’s absence from the summit will be covered by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in line with the usual arrangements between France and Germany, the French presidency confirmed. Macron will, however, attend the EU-Western Balkans summit in Brussels on Wednesday evening, as scheduled.
The cyclone has already claimed at least 22 lives and left 1,373 people injured, with authorities warning that the death toll could climb into the thousands. Efforts to accurately assess the damage have been complicated by the island’s large population of undocumented migrants and the local tradition of burying the dead within 24 hours. Additionally, widespread communication disruptions, with 80% of the island’s telecom network down, have hindered rescue and assessment operations.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her solidarity with Mayotte’s residents, stating she is “ready to coordinate emergency aid from Europe.” The island is currently grappling with critical shortages of water, food, and fuel.
In response to the disaster, Macron announced a nationwide day of mourning, though the specific date for this has yet to be set.
