Maputo — Mozambique's National Meteorology Institutes (INAM) has warned of very heavy rains and thunderstorms affecting Inhambane, Sofala and Manica provinces over the next three days.

The storms result from a low pressure system in the Mozambique Channel, about 50 kilometres from the Inhambane coast. The forecast is for rainfall of over 100 millimetres within the space of 24 hours. Most of Inhambane province, including Inhambane and Maxixe cities, is affected.

However, according to the US Navy's Joint Typhoon

Warning Centre (JTWC), the storm system has changed direction. Although it has brought heavy rain to Inhambane, it will not make landfall on the Inhambane coast at all, but is heading much further north, towards Zambezia province.

The JTWC classified the storm as a tropical cyclone. As of 18.00 on Sunday it is forecast to be about half way between Mozambique and Madagascar, but heading in a northerly direction. On its current course, the cyclone will hit the Zambezia coast sometime on Monday night.

The current wind speed of the cyclone is 50 knots (92 kilometres an hour), with gusts of up to 65 knots.

However, the wind speeds are expected to fall on Monday, and the cyclone will be weaker before it reaches Zambezia.