Bad weather causes havoc-President hails spirit of unity in the community |28 January 2013

President Michel was speaking to the media late yesterday afternoon after visiting some of the areas in east Mahé affected by bad weather.

The President has also announced that children will today not attend school at Pointe Larue, Anse Aux Pins and Au Cap whose compounds have been flooded. This will give the authorities and all concerned time to clear the debris.

Employers of the private and public sector are also being asked to be flexible with their employees whose homes and premises have been flooded, allowing them time to clean their residences.

“It’s unfortunate part of Mahé has been hit by such bad weather. After seeing the extent of the disaster on video footages filmed from a helicopter, I decided to go in person to some of the places that have been badly hit,” said President Michel, who went to Cascade, Pointe Larue, Anse Aux Pins and Au Cap.

“It was impossible for me to visit all the 100 or so houses that have been flooded or damaged. I wish I could have visited all of them but time was not in my favour. A lot of people have been affected, but I have been touched by the solidarity of the Seychellois people who have been willing to help others who were in distress and waiting for help from the departments of risk and disaster, the Fire Services and Rescue Agency and other agencies.

People from all parts of Mahé had converged to the affected districts to give a helping hand. I thank you all for your benevolence and compassion,” added President Michel, who had a long chat with Eileen Simeon who, along with her son and daughter, had to be taken out of their house at Au Cap through a window after it had been filled with mud following a landslide.

President Michel also thanked the police, Red Cross Society of Seychelles, departments of risk and disaster, emergency brigades, Seychelles People’s Defence Forces and Fire Services and Rescue Agency for their hard work in such difficult circumstances. He also asked them to stay on the alert in the event of more rain.

He noted that his government will in the coming days look for resources – human and financial – to help alleviate the sufferings of the many.

At Pointe Larue, President Michel visited the house of Jacyntha Volcère which has been damaged and at Anse Aux Pins Linda Philoé and her husband Antoine Bristol looked in disbelief as their new two-bedroom house, which they were to move in next week, had been flattened by a landslide.

At Au Cap, all the 13 residents of the Old People’s Home had first been moved to the district administration office before being taken to safety by members of their family.

Our selection of photos show President Michel during his visits to various places affected by the bad weather yesterday.