At least 100 missing in Zimbabwe after cyclone Idai

At least 100 people are missing in parts of eastern Zimbabwe hit by the peripheral effects of tropical cyclone Idai which has lashed Mozambique, a local lawmaker said Saturday.

Thousands of people have been affected, power cut off and major bridges flooded in parts of the Manicaland province which borders Mozambique.

"The information we have so far is that over 100 people are missing and some of them may have died," Joshua Sacco, a member of parliament in Chimanimani district, told agencies.

"At least 25 houses were swept away following a mudslide at Ngangu township in Chimanimani urban. There were people inside. They are part of the missing."

Tropical cyclone Idai battered central Mozambique on Friday killing at least 19 people and cutting off more than half a million in Beira, one of the country's largest cities.

Local officials in Mozambique said that heavy rains earlier in the week before the cyclone struck, had already claimed another 66 lives, injured scores and displaced 17,000 people.

Heavy rains in neighboring Malawi this week have affected almost a million people and claimed 56 lives, according to the latest government toll.

Chimanimani, which borders Mozambique, has been worst affected, with the storm causing floods as well as destroying crops, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Information said.

Air force helicopters were rescuing people, but flights were being slowed by heavy winds.

Zimbabwe has faced a severe drought this year that has damaged crops and a United Nations humanitarian agency says 5.3 million people will require food aid this year.

The country’s meteorological services expect rains to continue throughout the weekend.