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

The death toll in the French territory of Mayotte from Cyclone Chido is “several hundred” and may run into the thousands.

A senior official said Sunday that the death toll from cyclone Chido’s passage across Mayotte would be in the hundreds, perhaps even thousands, as France rushed in rescue workers and supplies. Their efforts will be hindered by the damage to airports and electricity distribution in the French Indian Ocean territory.