Crowds booed French President Emmanuel Macron and demanded his resignation in the overseas territory of Mayotte during his visit to survey the grim aftermath of a major disaster. A powerful storm struck the Indian Ocean archipelago last week, claiming at least 31 lives and leaving thousands homeless, according to local authorities.
On Thursday, during his tour of Mamoudzou, the island’s capital, Macron faced residents struggling with the aftermath of the cyclone. One man described local services as overstretched when addressing the president, adding “help has not reached where I live,” according to Reuters.
Macron announced the deployment of 400 additional security personnel to ensure public order and that aid is being distributed to the victims of Cyclone Chido, which caused significant damage including power outages and displaced thousands, particularly those living in informal settlements.
Health workers have raised concerns about potential disease outbreaks, as unburied bodies and contaminated water pose serious risks.
“We are facing open-air mass graves, there are no rescuers, no one has come to collect the buried bodies,” Estelle Youssoufa, who represents Mayotte in France’s national legislature told Macron.
Macron’s visit included the delivery of four metric tons of emergency supplies, and he has pledged to rebuild the island. Mayotte’s government has declared a state of natural disaster and expedited relief efforts, but residents continue to demand faster and more effective action, France 24 reports.