China has expressed willingness to help Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe cope with the harm done by Cyclone Idai, Xinhua reports.

The Chinese government-run news agency quotes Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang as saying: “We are ready to provide necessary support and help within our means, in accordance with the extent of the disaster and the requests of the three governments.”

The report quotes a written statement issued by the Chinese Embassy in Maputo as saying the embassy has sent inspectors to the coastal city of Beira to assess the harm done by the storm in central  Mozambique.

Cyclone Idai is known to have killed at least 84 people in Mozambique, 56 in Malawi and 98 in Zimbabwe, Xinhua says.