The United Nations is making an emergency appeal for $282 million for the next three months to help Mozambique start recovering from the devastation of Cyclone Idai.

U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said Monday the funding will be used for water, sanitation, education and restoring the livelihoods of the hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

He said separate appeals will be made shortly for Zimbabwe and Malawi, also hard-hit by the cyclone.

Lowcock said funds for cyclone victims are starting to come through, including 22 million pounds from the United Kingdom, but are far outstripped by the needs.

UNICEF head Henrietta Fore just visited Mozambique's ravaged port city of Beira and said "it's a race against time" to help the displaced and prevent disease.