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.

Rescuers searched desperately for survivors as they sought to assess the full scale of devastation wrought by Cyclone Chido on the French overseas territory of Mayotte, which emerged on Wednesday from a first night spent under curfew.

An overnight curfew goes into force Tuesday evening as Mayotte struggles to recover from Cyclone Chido, the strongest storm to hit the French Indian Ocean archipelago in 90 years.