Death toll climbs as Cyclone Freddy hits Malawi and Mozambique

A man stands outside his damaged home in Blantyre, Malawi (Thoko Chikondi/AP)

An unrelenting Cyclone Freddy that is currently battering southern Africa has killed at least 56 people in Malawi and Mozambique since it struck the continent for a second time on Saturday night, authorities in both countries have confirmed.

Local police said 51 people in Malawi, including 36 in Chilobwe in the financial hub of Blantyre in the centre of the country, have died, with several others missing or injured.