One person died, and two were missing, after cyclone Garance slammed into the French overseas territory of La Reunion with top wind speeds of 155 kph (96 mph) on Friday, the local prefect told franceinfo broadcaster.

More than 160,000 people face power outages as cyclone wreaks havoc on the Indian Ocean island, authorities report.

The cyclone, which crossed the island from north to south between Friday and Saturday, killed at least four people. It also caused extensive damage, notably due to very heavy rainfall.

At least four people died after cyclone Garance struck the French overseas territory of La Reunion on Friday, bringing wind speeds of up to 155 kph (96 mph), local authorities said on Saturday. "Garance has been downgraded to a strong tropical storm and the red alert has been lifted,

French police say at least three people have been killed when a tropical storm packing fierce winds and torrential rains thumped the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion.

At least four people have died in the Indian Ocean island of La Reunion during the passage of a devastating cyclone that sowed destruction across the overseas French territory, officials said on Saturday.

At least four people have died in the Indian Ocean island of La Reunion during the passage of a devastating cyclone that sowed destruction across the overseas French territory, officials said on Saturday.

Authorities in the French overseas territory of La Reunion said on Saturday (March 1) that cyclone Garance, which made landfall on Friday, had killed four people. David Doyle has more.

Two days after Cyclone Garance hit the island of Reunion, killing four people, the clean-up work has begun. It's the second cyclone to hit the Indian Ocean island in less than two months, after Cyclone Belal killed four residents of the island in January.