Rescue workers continued to search for survivors in Mayotte, France's poorest overseas territory, on Monday 

Cyclone Chido brought wind speeds of over 225 kilometres per hour, flattening areas where the poorest lived-in sheet-metal roof shacks

Twenty people have been confirmed dead in the tragedy, but authorities said the toll could be thousands

With several areas still inaccessible, French President Emmanuel Macron said he will be travelling to Mayotte "in the coming days", as he pledged to ensure support to citizens

The cyclone caused major damage to Mayotte's airport and cut off electricity, water and communication links when it barrelled down on Saturday

Residents of the two islands close to the Comoros archipelago described the "apocalyptic scenes" caused by the storm 

It will take days before it becomes clear how many people died in the tragedy, according to Retailleau. So far, authorities have confirmed 20 deaths

With roads closed, officials fear that many could still be trapped under rubble in inaccessible areas

Mayotte is made up of two main islands over an area about twice the size of Washington, DC. They first came under France's control in 1841

The islands officially have 320,000 inhabitants, "but it is estimated that there are 100,000 to 200,000 more people, taking into account illegal immigration," 

Most of Mayotte's population is Muslim and religious tradition dictates bodies must be buried rapidly, meaning some may never be counted

Cyclone Chido is the latest in a string of storms worldwide fuelled by climate change, according to experts