Flooding has hit the southern provinces particularly badly.

A tropical cyclone has begun battering Mozambique, which is already suffering the effects of its worst flooding in 50 years. Cyclone Eline is said to be affecting the coastal province of Inhambane, with heavy rains, thunder and strong winds.

The central provinces of Zambezia and Sofala are also expecting the full force of the storm, which left seven dead and thousands homeless as it passed over the island of Madagascar on Friday.

Meteorologists in Mozambique say high temperatures in the Indian Ocean will probably increase the strength of the cyclone. There were fears that Cyclone Eline might also hit the southern provinces of Gaza and Maputo, where more than 200,000 people in the Limpopo Valley have been made homeless by earlier flooding.

Mozambique is continuing to battle to cope with the effects of the past two weeks' heavy rains and floods. A least 150 people have lost their lives in Mozambique in recent days.