Emmanuel Macron interrupted during his visit to Mayotte

French President Emmanuel Macron has been booed during his visit to cyclone-affected Mayotte.

After facing boos and calls to resign from locals demanding more help in devastated areas, Macron responded by telling locals: “I am not the cyclone. I am not responsible.”

It arrived in the French Indian Ocean territory on Thursday, five days after Cyclone Chido devastated the small islands. Thousands of people do not have access to water and rescuers continue their efforts to find the missing people.

Macron told reporters that he had extended his visit until Friday as a show of respect and that leaving on the same day could have “installed the idea that we come, we look and we leave.”

Macron will visit more neighborhoods on Friday. He said the government would soon send more support to the territory and added that France would hold a day of national mourning on Monday.

French officials reported that at least 31 people have died, but the death toll is expected to be much higher and thousands are still missing. A large part of the archipelago remains without electricity.

Authorities say the supply of food and water is the top priority. Macron He said he brought four tons of food and sanitary products with him during his visit.

After touring the region by helicopter to see the devastationHe said Thursday was a day he would never forget.

The president pledged to rebuild the islands’ devastated infrastructure and homes.

People shouted “Macron resigns”, “you are talking nonsense” and “water, water, water” as they inspected the damaged areas.

During his visit to the Mamoudzou hospital centre, the AFP news agency reported that a woman told Macron: “No one feels safe here… people fight over water.”

“Your services are overwhelmed,” a 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 longer.

The territory, located north of Madagascar, is the poorest part of France. It suffers from widespread social and economic problems, including high rates of illegal immigration from neighboring Comoros and poor quality housing and public services.

Migrants are believed to be among those most affected by the cyclone.

The state of exceptional natural disaster has been declared, which makes it possible to overcome administrative barriers to confront the crisis more quickly and effectively.

It has been activated for one month, but can be extended for periods of two months if necessary.

Chido, the worst storm to hit the archipelago in 90 years, brought winds of more than 225 kilometers per hour (140 mph) on Saturday, flattening areas where people live in shacks with metal sheet roofs and leaving fields of dirt and debris.

After Mayotte, the storm hit the African continent, killing at least 45 people in Mozambique and 13 in Malawi.