MAPUTO (Reuters) - An intense tropical cyclone is threatening to strike already flood-hit Mozambique on Tuesday, the country's National Meteorological Institute (INAM) said on Monday.
INAM said in a statement Cyclone Ivan, a category 4 storm,had strengthened over the Indian Ocean and was likely to causedamage when it reached the coast.
"We are monitoring the situation very closely before weissue an alert," it said.
INAM said Cyclone Ivan had gathered winds of up to 90 milesper hour and is just 340 miles (547 kms) east of the Mozambicanchannel and could strengthen further.
Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi have been lashed byheavy rain for several weeks, causing swollen rivers to bursttheir banks and forcing thousands of villagers to flee floodedhomes.
Mozambique's worst disaster in recent memory occurred in2000-2001 when a series of cyclones worsened widespreadflooding in southern and central parts of the country, killing700 people and driving close to half a million from theirhomes.
(Editing by Phumza Macanda)
