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",

Tropical cyclone Garance intensifies as it approaches Reunion Island, prompting severe weather warnings, while tropical storm Honde poses additional threats to Madagascar.

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.

Residents of the Indian Ocean islands Mauritius and La Reunion rushed to stockpile essential items on Thursday, as Cyclone Garance approached the two territories. The storm, which is expected to pass 50 kilometers from La Reunion's shores,

Mauritius shut its main airport the previous day, while the nearby French island of La Reunion was set to do the same on Thursday. Garance was labeled a class 3 cyclone by Mauritius -- the second-highest alert level -- with gusts of up to 70 kph expected.

Cyclone Garance is approaching Mauritius, and authorities have been forced to close the island's only airport, leaving tourists unable to depart. All flights to and from Mauritius have been cancelled.