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Mozambican authorities are setting up shelters and preparing to evacuate people in high-risk areas as the southern Africa country braces for Cyclone Freddy.
The powerful cyclone made landfall in neighbouring Madagascar on Tuesday, where it killed five people, and is expected to intensify before it hits south-central Mozambique on Friday.
The provinces of Sofala, Inhambane, Manica and Gaza provinces are the most at risk, according to officials.
A red alert has been issued by the national risk management agency that allows for response operations to be expedited.
Heavy rains have already caused flooding in some parts of the country and the authorities say additional rain from the cyclone might affect up to 1.75 million people
In Zimbabwe, officials said they will close schools on Friday in areas likely to be affected. People have also been warned against crossing swollen rivers and miners warned against going underground.
The cyclone is expected to bring high winds and heavy rains to eastern, southern and central Zimbabwe.