Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi has urged citizens living in areas considered at risk from the tropical storm that is approaching the country to vacate those regions.

According to Mozambique's National Institute of Meteorology (INAM), projections indicate that the tropical storm, named Chalane, could impact the Mozambican coast on 29 or 30 December, affecting Nampula, Zambezia and Sofala provinces.

"All over the country they are prepared and alert, but nobody is prepared for things like these because they are unpredictable situations in terms of damage. We will have to be careful and everyone in the risk areas better leave," said President Nyusi.

The expected tropical storm will be the second to hit Mozambique in two years.

In 2019, Cyclone Idai swept across the country, killing around 1,000 people, destroying property and rendering hundreds of thousands homeless.

President Nyusi also appealed to Mozambicans not to get distracted by the new develpments and forget about COVID-19, which has imposed a massive health challenge in the country.