The death toll from Cyclone Kenneth, the second tropical storm to hit Mozambique within weeks, has jumped to 38 as flooding continued.

Rains from the storm pounded the north-eastern city of Pemba and surrounding areas on Monday, and more torrential rain was forecast for the coming days. Cyclone Idai, which hit central Mozambique in mid-March, killed at least 600 people.

The government said the flooding from the new cyclone was “critical” in parts of Cabo Delgado province such as the towns of Ibo, Macomia and Quissanga, where many buildings and homes had been destroyed. Most roads were impassable and the heavy rains made air contact difficult.

Officials said aid distribution would begin via helicopter and boats in Ibo and Quissanga as soon as the rains lifted on Monday. Canoes may be used to deliver aid in Macomia.

Provision of safe drinking water is becoming a challenge as wells have been contaminated, raising the threat of cholera. Malaria is another concern.

The prolonged heavy rains in Pemba, the provincial capital, caused deadly mudslides. As the rains eased on Monday, residents of a poor neighbourhood were digging for bodies. Two houses were crushed by the collapse of a sprawling dumpsite just after midnight, said Manuel Joachim, a local resident.

He said the body of a woman was discovered on Monday morning. Five people were missing. Using picks, shovels and their hands, workmen and locals dug through mud and garbage.

In other parts of Pemba, some tried to return to a semblance of daily life amid the destruction. At a school in one suburb, schoolchildren in blue uniforms trooped into classes. In central Pemba, traders put their wares on street pavements and wooden tables while others were busy removing rubble from their homes and yards.