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The discovery of the “largest submarine volcano ever observed” off the coast of Mayotte, following a seismic crisis that was particularly distressing for the population, gave rise to a significant discursive production, both within the scientific and political arenas of “disaster risk reduction,” and in the local, regional, national, and international media. This “discursive moment” opens a unique window of observation on the relations of domination at work in the singular territory of Mayotte, the 101st overseas department marked by extreme poverty and strong social inequalities. The article combines media discourse analysis, participant observation, and interview analysis to take stock of the language practices of the actors and the power relations that support them.