Batsirai has also been upgraded to an intense tropical cyclone to reflect its strength.

The weather is expected to deteriorate further with rainfall over the whole island.

The cyclone should pass at its closest point at 16:00 local time (GMT 12:00) at around 120km (75 miles) from Grand Bay, a tourist resort in the north.

Waves of up to 10m (32ft) are expected along the coastal roads in the south-west.

The strongest gust recorded so far has been 151km/h at Champs de Mars in the capital, Port Louis.

The electrical network is suffering in the strong winds and 14,000 homes are currently without electricity - the most impacted are in the capital.

Many people have evacuated their homes looking for refuge in government centres, including some children.

Police armoured vehicles are being used to assist patients who need to get to hospital.

Some roads are partially flooded with a lot of debris on them, including rocks, sand and trees.

The last time Mauritius experienced these conditions was back in 2007 when tropical cyclone Gamede battered the island with gusts of 158km/h.