People living in one of Mozambique's largest cities have been warned to expect the "worst-case scenario" as a major cyclone makes landfall.
Cyclone Idai, which is carrying winds of up to 225 km/h (140 mph), is making landfall near the port of Beira.
A storm surge of at least six metres (20 feet) is expected near low-lying Beira, a city of 500,000 people, Météo France said.
Heavy rains have already killed about 100 people in Mozambique and Malawi.
Beira is the fourth largest city in Mozambique and its major port sits on the mouth of the Pungwe river, that runs to Zimbabwe.
Météo France, which monitors French territories in the Indian Ocean, said Idai was "an extremely dangerous tropical cyclone" packing a "life-threatening" storm surge of at least four metres along the coast, and six metres near the mouth of the Pungwe river near Beira.
The surge could be even higher because of high tide, Météo France warned.
The cyclone's late change of course meant that "the worst case scenario is very likely", it added.
Images posted on social media showed significant damage to Beira as the storm approached, with large trees uprooted.
Mozambique has been struck by severe cyclones in the past, including Eline in 2000, when 350 people died and 650,000 were displaced across the wider region.
Beira has often seen the brunt of the storms and has worked to limit the effects of rising waters brought about by climate change through a series of infrastructure projects.
The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, a group linked to the World Bank and the UN, says Mozambique is the third most at-risk country in Africa when it comes to extreme weather.
Latest Stories
-
FBNBank changes name to FirstBank Ghana
2 mins -
Akwaboah Jnr ties the knot
9 mins -
Women’s FA Cup semis: Army Ladies face FC Epiphany; Police Ladies up against Supreme Ladies
2 hours -
Police haul in Kwadaso MP, EC officials in probe of Ejisu by-election ‘bribery’ case
3 hours -
Ghana’s press freedom ranking: Are we actually improving?
4 hours -
Reflections: 50 Lessons at 50
4 hours -
NCCE briefs Council of State on civic plans for 2024
4 hours -
Ecobank Group reports Profit Before Tax of $581m, on net revenue of $2.1bn for 2023
4 hours -
More businesses are working to move out of Ghana – Food and Beverages Association
4 hours -
Empowering Ghana’s Environmental Narrative: Celebrating World Press Freedom Day 2024
4 hours -
AG hasn’t closed investigations into Cecilia Dapaah’s case – Spokesman
4 hours -
Ghana Tourism Authority celebrates ‘Feast Ghana’ on May Day with a Taste of Culture
5 hours -
Fella Makafui gets emotional and teary-eyed reacting to old video with Medikal
5 hours -
FBNBank Ghana changes to FirstBank Ghana to align with Group identity
5 hours -
Agogo Presby Hospital celebrates staff over zero maternal death record
6 hours