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

The Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and La Reunion were on high alert Thursday for an intense tropical storm, Cyclone Garance, labelled a "direct threat" to the tourist destinations. The Mauritius Meteorological Service said the cyclone was 310 kilometres (190 miles) northwest of the island and had become an "intense tropical storm".

The Indian Ocean tourist meccas of Mauritius and La Reunion braced Thursday for an intense tropical storm, Cyclone Garance, which was labelled a "direct threat" to the islands. Mauritius shut its main airport the previous day, while the nearby French island of La Reunion was set to do the same on Thursday.

The sole airport in Mauritius is scheduled to shut down from Wednesday evening until further notice after the country’s meteorological services raised a cyclone warning to Class III for the first time in the current summer season.