Cyclone Jizani leaves 36 dead and destroys thousands of homes in Madagascar

Antananarivo, Madagascar — Antananarivo, Madagascar (AFP) – Cyclone Jizani The 24-hour wave of devastation across the country left at least 36 people dead, more than 370 injured and nearly 18,000 homes destroyed. MadagascarThursday, authorities said.

President of Madagascar It declared a national disaster and appealed to international leaders to help the largely impoverished island in the Indian Ocean.

The tropical cyclone made landfall late Tuesday and caused widespread damage in the main coastal city of Toamasina on the east coast before devastating… All over the country.

The National Risk and Disaster Management Office said on Thursday that the death toll had risen to at least 36 people, while six people were still missing. It said 374 people were injured and more than 250,000 people were affected by the storm.

Authorities said 32 of the deaths occurred in the Toamasina region, the country’s main port and economic centre. President Michael Randrianrina said 75% of the city was damaged or destroyed.

Many There are 31 million people living in Madagascar In homes that do not provide adequate shelter from strong storms, authorities said that many deaths resulted from building collapses.

The Disaster Management Agency said that 17,980 homes were destroyed and more than 37,000 others were damaged due to Cyclone Jizani, which brought winds exceeding 195 kilometers per hour (121 miles per hour).

A drone video posted by the Disaster Management Agency showed the extent of the damage in Toamasina, which is home to more than 300,000 people. Almost every building sustained significant damage with its roofs or other parts of the structures torn off. Many buildings were completely flattened, while trees were stripped or uprooted and left lying on roads throughout the city.

Residents were walking through knee-deep floodwaters as they began to put their lives back together again.

“We can clearly see what Toamasina needs now: above all, food, basic necessities and building materials to quickly rebuild everything that was destroyed in Toamasina and its surroundings,” Randrianrena said after visiting the city that bore the brunt of the hurricane. He called on all Madagascar residents to assist in recovery efforts.

Madagascar, located off the east coast of Africa, is particularly vulnerable to devastating storms that blow off the Indian Ocean. It has been hit by more than a dozen hurricanes or strong tropical storms since 2020.

A hurricane struck the northwestern part of the island last month, killing at least 14 people.

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