The dead are victims of lightning strikes, said Bonifacio Cardoso, the spokesperson of Mozambique’s National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in the area.

He asked people to take precautionary measures including by staying indoors during thunderstorms.

The heavy rains that lasted for 24 hours over the weekend also destroyed 5,000 houses and six health centres have been partially submerged, he said.

It is estimated that more than 394,000 people could be affected by floods in the province in the current rainy and cyclone season, which runs until the end of March.

The Mozambican disaster agency has already deployed teams to the area with boats, foodstuff, tents and blankets in readiness for the expected flooding.