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 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.

Officials fear hundreds of people could be dead as a result of the cyclone, which ravaged France’s poorest department.