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.

France ramped up its relief operations to its cyclone-devastated overseas territory of Mayotte, with 120 tonnes of food due to be distributed on Wednesday to a population at risk of hunger and disease.

France faces a huge task in rescue operations on its overseas territory of Mayotte after the small group of islands in the Indian Ocean was struck by Cyclone Chido, acting Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau posted on X on Tuesday.