89 People Die In Zimbabwe After Heavy Rains

Eighty-nine people have died in Zimbabwe after Cyclone Idai ripped through the eastern and southern parts of the country.  

According to officials on Monday, the scale of destruction is only becoming apparent as rescuers reached the most affected areas near the border with Mozambique. 

Nick Mangwana, Secretary, Ministry of Information, told Reuters that "the number of confirmed deaths throughout the country is now 89". 

He added that "Chimanimani district has been cut off from the rest of the country by torrential rains and winds of up to 170 km per hour that swept away roads, homes and bridges and knocked out power and communication lines.” 

So far, about 100 people have died in weeks of heavy rain and flooding in Mozambique and Malawi, where villages were left underwater according to the UN. 

Rescuers are struggling to reach people in Chimanimani, many of whom have been sleeping in the mountains since Friday, after their homes were flattened by rock falls and mudslides or washed away by torrential rains. 

Also, many families cannot bury the dead due to the floods.