Madagascar Requests International Help After Cyclone Devastation. Antananarivo, Madagascar — Madagascar has been hit by a powerful cyclone that has caused widespread destruction in the country’s second-largest city, Toamasina.
The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNRGC) shared drone footage showing the extent of the damage, as authorities confirmed at least 38 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
Cyclone Gezani made landfall on Tuesday in Toamasina, with winds reaching up to 250 kilometers (155 miles) per hour.
The BNRGC reported that up to 75 percent of the city and its surroundings have been ravaged by the storm. More than 18,000 homes were destroyed, and over 50,000 damaged or flooded.
The main road to the capital, Antananarivo, was cut off in several places, hindering humanitarian efforts. Officials commented on the matter.
The cyclone’s impact has been likened to that of Geralda in 1994, which killed at least 200 people and affected half a million more.
As Gezani weakened after landfall, it continued to sweep across the island as a tropical storm until late Wednesday. It is forecast to return to cyclone status as it reaches the Mozambique Channel and could strike southern Mozambique on Friday evening. Mozambican authorities have issued warnings about the approaching storm, which could bring violent winds and rough seas, urging people to leave the expected impact area.
Southern Africa has already faced devastating flooding from seasonal rainfall, with nearly 140 lives lost since October 1, according to the National Disasters Management Institute.
The southwest Indian Ocean cyclone season typically runs from November to April, with around a dozen storms occurring each year. Further details are expected as assessments of the damage continue.
