French PM in Mayotte says 'rumours of thousands of deaths are unfounded'

Newly appointed prime minister Francois Bayou promises to rebuild the cyclone-devastated French Indian ocean territory in two years.

Transcript

00:00French Prime Minister François Bayrou says the rumors of thousands of deaths are unfounded

00:06when speaking of the victims left by cyclone Chido after its devastating passage over France's

00:13overseas territory of Mayotte. He also promised to rebuild the island in two years as he arrived

00:20on Monday.

00:22What is striking for all those we meet is that the rumors of thousands of deaths are

00:31not founded, while a few dozen or a few hundred are in those areas. What do the land observers

00:45tell us? We find ourselves.

00:47In mid-December, the prefect of Mayotte estimated the cyclone had likely caused hundreds, maybe

00:52even a few thousand deaths. However, the latest official death toll is 39.