France is rushing help by ship and military aircraft to its poor overseas territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean that has been shattered by its worst storm in nearly a century.

Rescue workers on Monday were racing to reach survivors after Cyclone Chido devastated Mayotte, causing major damage to its airport and cutting off communication links in the French territory.

France is using ships and military aircraft to rush rescue workers and supplies the island chain of Mayotte after its worst cyclone in nearly a century.