Cyclone Gezani Kills Dozens In Madagascar’s Port City Of Toamasina

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR (Worthy News) – Tropical Cyclone Gezani collapsed houses in Madagascar’s main port city of Toamasina and left at least 31 people dead as it tore across the Indian Ocean island with powerful winds and heavy rain, authorities said Wednesday.

The storm made landfall late Tuesday in Toamasina, a key commercial port on Madagascar’s eastern coast and the country’s primary gateway for imports and exports. Wind speeds exceeded 195 kilometers per hour (121 miles per hour), prompting red alerts in several regions warning of flooding and landslides.

The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management said building collapses accounted for many of the fatalities. At least 36 people were seriously injured, four were reported missing, and more than 6,000 residents were displaced from their homes.

Power has been cut off in Toamasina since Tuesday, and large sections of the city remain flooded.

PRESIDENT SURVEYS DAMAGE

President Michael Randrianirina, who took office in October following a military coup, visited Toamasina to assess the damage and meet residents, according to videos released by his office showing flooded neighborhoods, homes, and shops with windows blown out and roofs torn off, and debris scattered across streets.

Randrianirina’s office said around 75 percent of the city’s infrastructure had been damaged or destroyed.

“It’s devastation. Roofs have been blown away, walls have collapsed, power poles are down, and trees have been uprooted. It looks like a catastrophic landscape,” said resident Michel, who gave only his first name.

STORM WEAKENS, BUT THREAT REMAINS

Gezani weakened to a tropical storm as it moved inland, passing about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of the capital, Antananarivo, according to Madagascar’s national weather service.

Forecasts showed the system was expected to move into the Mozambique Channel and could regain strength before potentially turning back toward Madagascar’s southwest coast next week.

Authorities in Mozambique also issued weather alerts, warning that three coastal provinces could be affected if the storm strengthens again.

SECOND CYCLONE IN WEEKS

Gezani struck less than two weeks after Tropical Cyclone Fytia hit on January 31, killing 14 people and displacing more than 85,000, according to Madagascar’s disaster management agency.

The United Nations released $3 million from its emergency response fund to help Madagascar prepare for the impacts of Gezani, U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said earlier this week.

Cyclone season in Madagascar runs from roughly November to March and regularly brings severe weather to one of the world’s poorest nations, which often struggles to recover between storms.

VULNERABILITY TO CYCLONES

Madagascar, the world’s fourth-largest island, has been impacted by more than a dozen tropical storms or cyclones since 2020. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction estimates such storms cause roughly $85 million in infrastructure damage annually, hampering development.

Experts remain divided over whether climate change is directly increasing cyclone frequency in the region, though many scientists say warmer ocean temperatures can intensify storms.

Disaster risk specialists also note that rapid urbanization, fragile housing construction, and inadequate infrastructure contribute significantly to high casualty numbers when powerful cyclones strike.

Authorities warned that the death toll could rise as damage assessments continue.

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