At least three people have died in floods triggered by heavy rains as cyclone Eloise lashes Zimbabwe.

The cyclone, since downgraded to a tropical storm, has damaged houses and property and caused major dams to overflow in the south of the country.

Zimbabwe’s civil protection unit is reporting three people have been swept away by flooded rivers in Chipinge.

That’s in the south-east of the country, which was badly hit by Cyclone Idai two years ago.

In Manicaland province a number of houses and a school in Chimanimani and Chipinge have been damaged. Communities living near the Save river are moving to higher ground.

Two major dams – the Manyuchi and Tugwi Mukosi – have started spilling and communities downstream have been placed on high alert.