More than 180,000 households face power outages as cyclone wreaks havoc on the Indian Ocean island, authorities report.

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",

Winds of up to 230 kilometers per hour battered the French Indian Ocean territory of 900,000 people. The storm earlier forced the closure of the main airport on nearby Mauritius.

Cyclone Garance barrelled across La Reunion island on Friday killing at least two people as fierce winds left destruction across the French Indian Ocean territory, authorities said.

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,

The international airport of Mauritius was shut down Wednesday following a class 3 cyclone alert, Air Mauritius said in a statement.