Mozambican authorities are forcefully moving people from the Limpopo Valley to prevent drowning in floods caused by discharges from the Massingir dam.

About 130 000 people are to be evacuated in flood-prone Mozambique because of rising waters in three main rivers, state media said on Wednesday.

Cyclone Jokwe, which has wreaked havoc in Mozambique, was downgraded on Friday to a tropical depression, allaying fears of a damaging hit to the tourism town of Vilankulo. However, the cyclone, now heading towards Madagascar, still had Mozambique's coastal regions on yellow alert.

After rain comes sunshine -- if you're willing to seize the chance of a new life. Mozambique is trying to convince tens of thousands of people in low-lying areas who fall victim each year to floods during the summer rainy season to permanently resettle on higher ground.

Southern Africa must improve its warning systems in order to minimise the impact of the flooding that has displaced tens of thousands of people in the region since December, a senior official has warned. Tomaz Salomao, executive secretary of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community, was speaking after a tour of flood-hit districts.