The French territory of Mayotte was battered by a new tropical storm Sunday, just weeks after the worst cyclone to hit the islands in nearly a century laid waste to entire neighborhoods and villages and forced a huge recovery effort by authorities.

The French Indian Ocean territory remains under a red alert until Monday evening due to the tropical storm. Less than a month after the devastation caused by Chido, authorities and residents alike have sought to reduce the storm's risks.

A tropical storm is nearing the French overseas territory in the Indian Ocean that was devastated by a cyclone last month.

Tropical storm Dikeledi barrelled towards Mozambique on Monday after leaving three dead in Madagascar and triggering floods in the French territory of Mayotte, less than a month after the cyclone-battered region was hit by Chido.

The Mayotte prefecture said in a statement it had triggered a cyclone pre-alert as of 0800 GMT on Friday as Storm Dikeledi was due to cross Madagascar on Saturday before heading eastwards. The storm was due to pass about 140 km (87 miles) south of Mayotte on Saturday night and on Sunday,

Residents of the French territory of Mayotte braced Sunday for a storm expected to bring strong winds and flash floods less than a month after the Indian Ocean archipelago was devastated by a deadly cyclone.

Mayotte has not yet recovered from the impact of Cyclone Chido, which ripped through the archipelago a month ago, causing extensive damage to France’s poorest department. Authorities say at

Residents of the French territory of Mayotte braced Saturday for a storm expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain less than a month after the Indian Ocean archipelago was devastated by a deadly cyclone.