Cyclone Gezani Kills Over Forty in Madagascar

(MENAFN) Madagascar declared a national disaster Saturday following the catastrophic impact of Cyclone Gezani, which left 43 people dead and ravaged communities across the Indian Ocean nation.

In a statement from Antananarivo, the capital, Prime Minister Rajaonarivelo Heritsalama confirmed the storm had devastated both the economy and civilian populations. The government pledged to prioritize climate resilience measures moving forward.

Casualty figures released Saturday by Madagascar's disaster agency paint a grim picture: 43 fatalities spanning 25 districts across five regions, with 427 individuals wounded and six still unaccounted for.

The destruction proved staggering—357,014 residences obliterated, 16,428 citizens forced from their homes, and 42,219 structures sustaining damage.

International response has mobilized rapidly, with France, the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations spearheading relief operations to deliver critical food aid and medical provisions.

The crisis compounds Madagascar's vulnerability as one of Africa's most cyclone-battered nations. The country continues recovering from Tropical Cyclone Fytia, which struck two weeks earlier, claiming seven lives and impacting over 54,000 residents.

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