Francois Bayrou's Emergency Plan for Storm-Ravaged Mayotte

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou commits to restoring power in Mayotte by January's end and bans shantytown rebuilding. Residents demand swift water and electricity aid. Declaring 'Mayotte Standing,' Bayrou plans a rebuilding bill set for cabinet discussion. Misreported cyclone death toll remains controversial.

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou has announced plans to fully restore power to Mayotte, a French overseas territory devastated by a recent storm, by the end of January. He declared that rebuilding the island's shantytowns will not be permitted, as part of a broader initiative named 'Mayotte Standing.'

Residents, frustrated by delays in aid and basic utilities following the storm's destruction, have expressed dissatisfaction. Bayrou, who came into office amidst Cyclone Chido, the worst storm in 90 years to hit Mayotte, visited the island, unveiling a series of emergency measures aimed at its recovery.

An emergency legislative bill banning makeshift housing will be presented to the cabinet in early January and sent to parliament soon after. Though criticised for a delayed visit, Bayrou assured water supply restoration within a week and communication lines via 200 Starlink antennas, while acknowledging inaccuracies in initial death toll reports amid concerns of potential thousands dead.