Cyclone Chida hits Mayotte, leaving a trail of destruction

Hundreds of people are believed to have died in Mayotte after Cyclone Chida hit the French Indian Ocean territory on Saturday.

Entire communities were flattened when the cyclone brought wind speeds of more than 225 km/h (140 mph), with people living in makeshift shelters particularly hard hit.

Footage showed police officers holding the door as the cyclone made landfall, leaving a hole in the roof of the building being used as a shelter.

One resident said the wind blew everything away as he stood in line to buy groceries at the supermarket.

There are fears that the final death toll could rise into the thousands as the damage is fully assessed and rescuers continue to work to reach some communities.

More details: Mayotte was hit by the worst cyclone in 90 years