Cyclone Chido devastated the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte, potentially claiming hundreds, or even thousands, of lives according to local officials.

Officials in the French island territory of Mayotte on Monday feared that hundreds could be dead as survivors emerged from the devastation of Cyclone Chido, which ripped through the region with Cat. 4 winds.

Thousands were feared dead on Monday after a Cyclone Chido tore through Mayotte, a French Indian Ocean territory, leaving swaths of the population cut off.

At least 11 people have died after Cyclone Chido caused devastating damage in the French territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, while footage from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) showed destroyed boats washed up on the beachfront of Pemba,

Emergency workers searched for survivors on Monday and battled to restore services in Mayotte, France's poorest overseas territory, where hundreds or even thousands, are feared dead from the worst cyclone to hit the Indian Ocean islands in nearly a century.

Emergency workers raced on Monday to find survivors and restore services to the French overseas territory of Mayotte, where hundreds or even thousands are feared dead from the worst cyclone to hit the Indian Ocean islands in nearly a century.