France declared "exceptional natural disaster" measures for Mayotte on Wednesday as authorities grappled with the full scale of the devastation wrought by Cyclone Chido on the Indian Ocean archipelago,

Authorities in the French overseas territory of Mayotte could still confirm only 31 deaths on Wednesday from Cyclone Chido, more than four days after it swept through the Indian Ocean archipelago, causing mayhem and killing possibly thousands.

France ramped up its relief operations to its cyclone-devastated overseas territory of Mayotte, with 120 tonnes of food due to be distributed on Wednesday to a population at risk of hunger and disease.