More than 60 dead and thousands of displaced people have been killed in Mozambique, according to a toll from the local authorities, which announced the alert in anticipation of the arrival of hurricane Idai.
The floods killed at least 66 people in the center and the north and thousands more have been displaced, government spokeswoman Anna Koumwana said at the end of a cabinet meeting on Tuesday night.
A previous toll of at least 10 people has been reported.
About 6,000 homes have been destroyed, more than 140,000 people have been affected and more than 100,000 hectares of crops have been flooded.
"The government has put the country on alert because of continued rains and the approaching tropical cyclone Idai expected to arrive in the country on Thursday or Friday," the spokeswoman said.
Authorities have also ordered evacuation of coastal areas that could be affected by the typhoon´s arrival.
"The opening of 16 centers in the districts of Zambezi and Titi to receive the displaced quickly."
Mozambique, one of the poorest countries in the world, has always been gripped by hurricanes that cause massive flooding.
The floods killed 800 people in 2000 and more than 100 in 2015.
In recent days, floods have also killed 30 people and left more than 230,000 homeless in neighboring southern Malawi, local authorities say.
