French President Emmanuel Macron has been heckled during his visit to cyclone-hit Mayotte.
After facing boos and calls to resign from locals demanding more aid in devastated areas, Macron responded by telling locals: “I’m not the cyclone. I’m not responsible.”
He arrived in the French Indian Ocean territory on Thursday, five days after Cyclone Chido tore through the small islands. Thousands are without access to water and rescuers are continuing efforts to find missing people.
Macron told reporters he had extended his visit until Friday as a mark of respect, and that leaving the same day could have “installed the idea that we come, we look, we leave”.
Macron will visit more neighbourhoods on Friday. He said the government would send more support to the territory soon, adding that France would observe a national day of mourning on Monday.
At least 31 people are reported by French officials to have died, but the death toll is expected to be much higher with thousands still missing. A large part of the archipelago is also still without power.
Officials say supplies of food and water are the top priority. Macron said he brought four tonnes of food and health cargo with him on his visit.
After touring the region in a helicopter to see the devastation, he said Thursday was a day he would never forget.
The president pledged to rebuild the islands’ devastated infrastructure and homes.
People shouted “Macron resign”, “you’re talking nonsense” and “water, water, water” as he inspected damaged areas.
During his visit to the Mamoudzou hospital centre, the AFP news agency reported that one woman told Macron: “Nobody feels safe here… people are fighting over water.”
“Your services are overwhelmed,” one man at the hospital told Macron, according to Reuters. “Help has not reached where I live.”
But others said they were grateful for Macron’s visit and urged him to stay for longer.
The territory, located north of Madagascar, is the poorest part of France. It suffers from extensive social and economic problems, including high rates of illegal immigration from neighbouring Comoros and poor-quality housing and public services.
Migrants are believed to have been amongst those worst affected by the cyclone.
A state of exceptional natural disaster has been declared, allowing administrative barriers to be overcome in order to deal with the crisis more quickly and effectively.
It has been activated for one month, but can be extended by periods of two months if required.
Chido – the worst storm to hit the archipelago in 90 years – brought wind speeds of more than 225km/h (140mph) on Saturday, flattening areas where people live in shacks with sheet metal roofs and leaving fields of dirt and debris.
After Mayotte the storm hit the African mainland, killing at least 45 people in Mozambique and 13 in Malawi.
