Abstract
The earthquake swarm that struck Mayotte in 2018 incited panic and various reactionsamong the local population. Because earthquakes are rare on the island, people were beside themselves,with many leaving their homes to wait out the night under the open air. This article analyzes36 short narratives that recount events surrounding the crisis. Told in Shimaore and Kibushi, thesestories describe what happened at night, particularly when people sought refuge in open spaces, fearinganother earthquake might strike. The article focuses on the language used in the stories to discussearthquakes and the earthquake swarm. Analyses reveal that the stories have a similar structure andlanguage related to space, movement, affect and evaluation are parallel in the two languages. Somedifferences between the two languages are observed regarding terminology, such as the noun formfor“earthquake.” Narratives reveal evaluative language that negatively portrays the events, and the languagethat stresses the collective experience on the island.