Mozambique: Hundreds killed and displaced after Cyclone Idai

More than 200 people were confirmed death after Cyclone Idai slammed into Mozambique. Idai is considered as one of the most destructive storms southern Africa has experienced in decades.

Nante: Mozambique on Wednesday began three days of national mourning for more than 200 victims of Cyclone Idai, one of the most destructive storms southern Africa has experienced in decades.

In neighbouring Zimbabwe, state media said the death toll was above 100.

The full extent of the devastation will only be known once floodwaters from torrential rains, expected to continue into Thursday, recede.

It will be days before Mozambique's inundated plains drain toward the Indian Ocean, and aid groups have warned the waters are still rising.

People have been reported clinging to rooftops and trees since the cyclone roared in over the weekend.

The United Nations humanitarian office said the town of Buzi, with some 200,000 people, was at risk of becoming at least partially submerged endagering 350,000 people.

Mozambique's president late Tuesday said more than 200 people were confirmed dead there.

President Filipe Nyusi after flying over the affected region on Monday said he expected more than 1,000 deaths.

Aid workers were shocked as they arrived in the badly hit Mozambique port city of Beira, estimated to be 90 percent destroyed.

Its 500,000 residents are scrambling for food, fuel and medicine. Some neighbourhoods are below sea level.

International aid has started trickling in to ease the crisis, while churches in Zimbabwe collected supplies to send on.

On Wednesday, the Emirates News Agency cited the Emirates Red Crescent as saying that the United Arab Emirates would provide 18.3 million dirhams (4.9 million US dollars) to Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Zimbabwe's president said a planeload of aid from the UAE was expected to arrive in the capital, Harare, later Wednesday.

The chairman of the African Union Commission said the continental body would provide 350,000 US dollars in immediate support to the countries.

The European Union has released 3.5 million euros (3.9 million US dollars) in emergency aid, and the United Kingdom pledged up to 6 million pounds (7.9 million US dollars).

Tanzania's military has airlifted 238 tons of food and medicine, and three Indian naval ships have been diverted to Beira to help with evacuations of stranded people and other efforts.