Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first major public appearance after the country’s north was struck by devastating floods, calling for stronger efforts in disaster relief and safeguarding national food security.

Xi presided over a meeting of the Politburo Standing Committee on Thursday, emphasizing the need to speed up repair of damaged infrastructure such as transport, communications and electricity, as well as restore farmland and agricultural facilities, according to a report by the state broadcaster CCTV.

The comments come amid controversy over the government’s handling of the crisis. Swathes of northern China including Beijing, Hebei, Jilin and Liaoning were inundated with heavy rain and flooding brought by Typhoons Doksuri and Khanun in recent weeks, with the official tally showing at least 80 people have died.

Some victims have said they received little help from local authorities. Others lamented that some top officials were nowhere to be seen after the floods.

State media earlier this month touted Xi’s “strong and powerful” response to the disaster, ratcheting up mentions of the president who hadn’t been seen in public since the rainfall began. Reports about his leadership in ordering rescue efforts were featured prominently in front-page articles.

At Thursday’s meeting, Xi said the country is still in the main flood season, emphasizing the need to respond accurately to early warnings. He called for schools, hospitals and nursing homes to be rebuilt. Authorities should work to minimize agricultural losses and ensure food security, according to the report.