At least 20 people have died after Cyclone Gezani slammed into Madagascar’s east coast with winds reaching 250 km/h (155 mph), triggering widespread destruction and flooding. The powerful storm made landfall Tuesday in Toamasina, a port city of about 400,000 people, tearing roofs from homes, uprooting trees, and submerging entire neighborhoods. Authorities said several victims were killed when buildings collapsed. At least 15 people remain missing, and dozens have been injured.
Drone footage revealed vast flooding across the city, with roads blocked by debris and twisted sheet metal. Aid organisations described conditions as “chaotic,” reporting that up to 90 percent of roofs were damaged in some districts.
Meteorologists say Toamasina bore the brunt of the cyclone’s most intense winds, possibly among the strongest to hit the region in decades. The storm is now moving inland, raising concerns about flash floods and landslides in vulnerable communities. Madagascar’s newly elected president has travelled to the affected area to assess the damage as emergency response efforts continue.
