Cyclone Gezani has killed at least 59 people in Madagascar and forced more than 16 thousand residents from their homes, according to the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management.
Authorities reported 15 people missing and 804 injured, while nearly 4 lakh 24 thousand people have been affected by widespread storm damage. The government declared a state of national disaster on February 14 as destruction spread across 25 districts in five regions.
Thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed, along with hospitals and schools. The cyclone struck with winds near 185 kilometres per hour and gusts up to 270 kilometres per hour, bringing heavy rain and flooding that made many roads impassable.
The storm later moved toward Mozambique after another deadly cyclone hit the island weeks earlier. A previous report had put the death toll at 43.
Most of the fatalities were reported in the port city of Toamasina on the east coast, formerly known as Tamatave, Madagascar’s second?largest urban centre with around 400,000 inhabitants. Another 15 people remain missing nearly a week after the cyclone struck, according to BNRGC.
The damage to housing was extensive, with some 25,000 homes destroyed, 27,000 others flooded and more than 200 classrooms partially or completely wrecked, it said.
Gezani made landfall last week with winds topping around 250 kilometres (160 miles) per hour, prompting the government to declare a national emergency.