Emmanuel Macron heckled during visit to Mayotte

French President Emmanuel Macron was heckled during his visit to cyclone-hit Mayotte.

After facing boos and calls for resignation from residents demanding more aid in devastated areas, Macron responded by telling residents: “I am not the cyclone. I am not responsible “.

He arrived in the French territory in the Indian Ocean 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 journalists that he had extended his visit until Friday as a sign of respect, and that leaving the same day could have “established the idea that we come, we look, we leave.”

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

French authorities say at least 31 people are believed 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 electricity.

Authorities say the supply of food and water is the top priority. Macron said he took with him four tons of food and medical supplies during his visit.

After traveling 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 resign”, “you are talking nonsense” and “water, water, water” as he inspected the damaged areas.

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

“Your services are overwhelmed,” a man at the hospital told Macron, according to Reuters. “Help hasn’t reached where I live.”

But others said they were grateful for Macron's visit and urged him to stay longer.

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

Migrants would be among the people most affected by the cyclone.

A state of exceptional natural disaster was declared, making it possible to overcome administrative barriers in order to deal with the crisis more quickly and more effectively.

It is 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 km/h (140 mph) on Saturday, flattening areas where people live in tin-roofed shacks 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.