French President Emmanuel Macron has declared a national day of mourning following the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido in Mayotte, France’s Indian Ocean territory. The remembrance day, aimed at honoring the victims, comes as the island grapples with its worst natural disaster in nearly a century.

Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte on December 14 with catastrophic winds reaching 260 km/h (160 mph) and heavy rainfall of 250 mm within 24 hours. The storm flattened entire communities, leaving vast stretches of the island in ruins. French officials have confirmed at least 31 fatalities, though the death toll is feared to be in the hundreds or thousands, with thousands still missing.

During his visit to Mayotte last week, President Macron faced jeers and calls for his resignation from locals frustrated by what they described as slow aid delivery.

Touring the devastation by helicopter, Macron pledged to rebuild the island’s homes and infrastructure, calling the visit a day he would “never forget.” Responding to criticism, he stated, “I had nothing to do with the cyclone. You can blame me, but it wasn’t me.”

Mayotte, already France’s most impoverished territory before the cyclone, now faces a humanitarian crisis. Survivors are struggling without water, electricity, and communication, as rescuers work tirelessly to provide aid. Over 100,000 people remain in Red Cross shelters after losing their homes.

Flags across France, including in cities like Paris, Marseille, and Lyon, will be flown at half-mast during the national mourning.

Cyclone Chido also wreaked havoc beyond Mayotte, claiming at least 94 lives in Mozambique and 13 in Malawi. French Prime Minister François Bayrou described the cyclone as “the worst natural disaster in French history in the past centuries.”

As the recovery effort continues, the scale of the tragedy underscores the urgent need for international solidarity and support.