24 dead as Cyclone Idai wreaks havoc in Zimbabwe

Harare: At least 24 people have been killed as Cyclone Idai wreaked havoc in southeastern Zimbabwe, officials said on Saturday.

The Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services tweeted on Saturday that most of the deaths were in Chimanimani district. Two children were among the dead and a school was closed following a fatal landslide on Friday evening.

Many rivers burst their banks and bridges had been swept away in the floods. The military was assisting in rescue efforts but it was slowed down by bad roads, Xinhua news agency reported.

A UN spokesman had said earlier that Cyclone Idai claimed at least 122 lives and affected more than 1 million people in Malawi and Mozambique.

[source_without_link]IANS[/source_without_link]