Heavy flooding hit Mauritius on Monday as a tropical cyclone closed in on the Indian Ocean island nation after battering the French overseas territory of Reunion, Report informs via France 24.

Images posted on local media showed numerous cars in the capital Port Louis submerged under a brown deluge of floodwater or piled up on the street, as torrential rains lashed the city.

The authorities in Mauritius have warned that Cyclone Belal -- which has already led to one death in Reunion -- posed a "threat" to the remote paradise island.

The international airport announced it would be closed from 4:30 pm (1230 GMT) on Monday until further notice, while banks, government offices and other private businesses shut their doors and sent staff home.

The Mauritius Meteorological Services (MMS) said in a statement that a class 3 cyclone warning (out of four levels) was in force and advised the public to stay in a safe place, with "torrential rain conditions" expected in the coming hours.

An AFP correspondent said rains had caused havoc in Port Louis and other areas including St Jean to the south of the capital.

Mauritius, a country of almost 1.3 million people, is a magnet for tourists attracted to its stunning white beaches and crystal-clear waters.

About a dozen storms or cyclones occur each year in the southwest Indian Ocean during the November-April season.

In February last year, Mauritius was lashed by heavy rains and high winds from Cyclone Freddy, which caused a wave of death and destruction in southeastern Africa including Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar.