DENIS, La Reunion, France (Reuters) -At least three people died when cyclone Garance slammed into the French overseas territory of La Reunion on Friday with wind speeds of up to 155 kph (96 mph), Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said.

French police say at least three people have been killed when a tropical storm packing fierce winds and torrential rains thumped the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion.

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.