HARARE, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwe National Army has been deployed to rescue 197 pupils from St Charles Luwanga School in Chipinge, Manicaland Province following heavy rains and flooding caused by Cyclone Idai.

Two pupils from the school are among at least 24 people who have been confirmed dead as the cyclone wreaks havoc in the southeastern parts of the country.

The Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services said in a tweet Saturday that the deaths were mainly in Chimanimani district.

"The army is moving in from Chipinge to rescue 197 pupils from Charles Luwanga so they can take them to Mhandarume (command center).

"This is a very challenging operation as it's being undertaken as a ground effort because of unsafe weather conditions," the ministry said late Saturday afternoon.

It said high winds remained a challenge for the air force to rescue marooned people.

Many rivers have burst their banks and bridges have been swept away in the floods.

A UN spokesman said on Thursday that Cyclone Idai has claimed at least 122 lives and affected more than 1 million people in Malawi and Mozambique.