Cyclone Idai claims 48 lives in Mozambique, 39 in Zimbabwe

At least 48 people have been killed in Mozambique and 39 in neighbouring Zimbabwe after tropical cyclone Idai tore through the two southern African countries, officials and media said Sunday.

Dozens of others are missing after the storm brought strong winds, heavy rains and flash flooding destroying bridges and sweeping away homes in parts of the two adjacent nations. 

Mozambique’s state-owned Jornal Domingo newspaper reported 48 people have died so far in the worst-hit central Sofala province.

Zimbabwe government spokesman Nick Mangwana told AFP that the death toll in the country was “is now at 39”.

“Rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing,” Mangwana added.

He said most of the deaths occurred in the Ngangu township situated in a valley in Chimanimani town, where more than 100 houses were washed away.

Two of the victims were students who died after a landslide sent a boulder crashing into their dormitory, collapsing the