French Prime Minister François Bayrou believes dozens of people died after the cyclone hit the territory, rather than thousands.

French officials raised the death toll in Mayotte to 39 from 35, about 10 days after the islands were battered by a devastating cyclone.

The death toll from cyclone Chido in the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte has reached 39, according to the latest count from the island's prefect."The work of identifying the victims of the cyclone continues,

Officials have said that the death toll in Mayotte, currently at 35, could end up in the thousands. But in the capital, there were no scenes of public mourning and little talk of searches for missing loved ones.