A bus driver has been killed in a road accident on the north-west coast of Mauritius – the only death linked to cyclone Batsirai.

The bus driver was riding his motorcycle to report to work early on Thursday morning when he hit a tree that had fallen blocking the road.

The tree had been destabilised by the cyclone’s gusts of up to 155 km/h (96pmh).

Mauritius’ cyclone alert had been lifted on Thursday at 04:10 local time (00:10 GMT), after which the driver left his house to report to work.

Aged 55, he had given about 20 years of service at Triolet Bus Service (TBS), a privately-owned transport company.

TBS Director Viraj Nundlall said he was “saddened”, and described the deceased as an exemplary employee who “fulfilled his civic duty to transport passengers”.

Road users have been urged to be cautious because there are pockets of fog and debris on the road.

There is currently an advisory of strong swells and strong winds, while several stations are still recording gusts of around 100km/h.

These showers are causing water to accumulate, and rivers are flooding. The public is strictly advised not to venture into these risky areas.

More than 1,000 homes are still without electricity.

In the neighbouring island of Réunion, 12 people have been injured in incidents caused by the cyclone.