Cyclone Bejisa is set to hit the French island of Reunion. The island in the Indian Ocean had been placed on red alert with the storm scheduled to reach landfall on Thursday evening local time.

At least eight people have already been injured while 91,000 homes are without electricity.

Forecasters said the cyclone is ten times the size of the island and is set to sweep across Reunion from the north to the south.

The islanders had been told to stay indoors. Some had no choice as one family saw their roof ripped off the house by winds gusting up to 200 kilometres per hour.

It’s predicted more rain will fall in one day on the island than during a 10-month period in Paris.

Preparations to deal with Bejisa started on Tuesday as islanders stocked up on essentials, water and batteries with the emergency services on standby.

It’s reported some in the west of the island had been evacuated from their homes as a precaution.