MALE, Maldives: Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen cut short his trip to Malaysia to deal with a drinking water crisis in the honeymoon islands’ capital that triggered unrest on the streets, his office said Sunday.

Residents of the main island of Male faced a third straight day without adequate supplies of tap water after a fire at a desalination plant led to severe shortages and mounting anger.

“President Yameen has cut short his unofficial visit to Malaysia and arrived back in Male (on Saturday night),” his office said in a statement.

Yameen was working with officials to ease the crisis, including by distributing tons of bottled water flown in from neighboring India and Sri Lanka as well as ally China, it said.

Yameen on Saturday appealed to Maldivians to remain “patient and united, while working with the government to resolve the national crisis”. The government has declared Sunday and Monday public holidays to dampen the anger that has led to fights among residents and attacks on shops that rationed bottled water.

The situation was calm Sunday in Male, one of the world’s most densely populated capitals, after the rushed-in supplies started reaching residents.