French Prime Minister François Bayrou believes dozens of people died after the cyclone hit the territory, rather than thousands.

French officials raised the death toll in Mayotte to 39 from 35, about 10 days after the islands were battered by a devastating cyclone. Authorities have said thousands may have died in Storm Chido when it hit the islands,

Authorities in the French overseas territory of Mayotte could still confirm only 31 deaths on Wednesday from Cyclone Chido, more than four days after it swept through the Indian Ocean archipelago, causing mayhem and killing possibly thousands.

Officials have said that the death toll in Mayotte, currently at 35, could end up in the thousands. But in the capital, there were no scenes of public mourning and little talk of searches for missing loved ones.