Cyclone Garance slammed into the French overseas territory of La Reunion with top wind speeds of 155 kph (96 mph) on Friday, blowing away roofs and cutting power and access to drinking water for many residents.

Réunion island issued its highest level of threat warning as the French Indian Ocean territory braced for a direct hit by a cyclone packing gusts likely to exceed 200 kilometers per hour (124 miles per hour).

La Réunion and nearby Mauritius – around 225 kilometres (140 miles) to the northeast – have been on high alert since Wednesday as Cyclone Garance neared the popular tourist destinations. Mauritius shut its main airport on Wednesday, while La Réunion did the same on Thursday.

Cyclone Garance, a category 3 cyclone carrying gusts of up to 200 kilometers per hour winds, was on Friday deemed a "direct threat" to the Indian Ocean island La Reunion, placing it under "purple alert",

Authorities on the French Indian Ocean territory of Reunion Island issued a red alert Thursday as Cyclone Garance approaches with strong winds and heavy rain.