French President Macron throws tantrums with frustrated residents in typhoon-ravaged Mayotte

French President Emmanuel Macron faced widespread frustration and anger among Mayotte residents during a visit to the Indian Ocean island, which is still reeling from the damage of the region’s most powerful storm in nearly a century.

On Friday morning, Macron visited the area of ​​Tungoni, on the main island of Mayotte, where people have been without drinking water or telephones for almost a week after typhoon Chido.

When he passed by this place, others shouted, “We want water, we want water!”

Mayotte, with 320,000 residents and an estimated 100,000 migrants, is the poorest department in France. The typhoon destroyed entire neighborhoods, as many people ignored the warnings, thinking that the storm would not be that big.

Can’t see the embed above? Watch the angry exchange here.

The situation was tense on Thursday evening, when Macron was met by a large number of citizens in Pamandzi, on the island of Petite-Terre, during the last stop of his first day in Mayotte.

People expressed frustration at the slow pace of aid efforts, with one woman making a strong plea and resisting Macron’s attempts to put his hand on her shoulder or take the microphone to respond.

Finally Macron got the microphone from someone and said, “I have nothing to do with this typhoon. You can blame me, [but] it wasn’t me!”

Addressing the crowd, he acknowledged their difficulties.

“You went through something bad, everyone is struggling, regardless of skin color,” he said encouraging unity.

Macron was also furious, shouting that if it were not for France, the citizens would be “10,000 times cheaper.”

The French president added, “There is no place in the Indian Ocean where people get so much help!” The woman could be heard saying “we disagree.”

Dozens of health workers are missing

Macron is known for his love of debate and is used to being in crowds and confronting people who are angry with him. He explained that he stayed two days in Mayotte out of “respect and consideration” for the people.

The French president received a warm welcome in Tsingoni on Friday morning. People begged him to help, some took pictures with him, others showed him their children.

At the time, the French military and local authorities were trying to repair broken water pipes on the islands and get water to villages without it.

In the village of Mirereni, 35 kilometers outside the capital of Mayotte in the north, the police of the Public Security Division were trying to remove a large cut mango that had broken through a water pipe.

The pipeline supplies water to about 10,000 people in three nearby villages. But officials say repairs may take longer than usual because of the heat, which affects the equipment.

The people of this area said they are afraid that the lack of water will cause diseases. Earlier this year, there was an outbreak of cholera on the island, with at least 200 infections.

At least 31 people have died during the storm and around 2,500 people have been injured, including 67 in critical condition, French authorities said. But hundreds or thousands of people are feared to have died in the overcrowded area.

French Health Minister Genevieve Darrieussecq said on Friday that 17 percent of hospital workers and 40 percent of all regional health workers on the islands are still missing.

“These are about 60 to 70 people,” he told FranceInfo news station, stressing that most people still do not have access to telephone services.