ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar — Madagascar has declared a national disaster following catastrophic damage wrought by Cyclone Gezani, which unleashed unprecedented destruction across the island nation this week. Official figures released Thursday confirm at least 36 fatalities, with 374 individuals injured and six reported missing in the storm’s aftermath.
The tropical cyclone made landfall late Tuesday near Toamasina, Madagascar’s primary port city and economic nerve center, before carving a path of devastation across the country. President Michael Randrianirina confirmed approximately 75% of Toamasina sustained significant damage or complete destruction, with drone footage revealing entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble and infrastructure in ruins.
According to the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management, the cyclone’s 195 km/h (121 mph) winds demolished 17,980 homes and damaged over 37,000 others, displacing more than 250,000 residents. Floodwaters reached knee-deep levels in many areas as survivors navigated through debris-filled streets to assess their losses.
The president urgently appealed for international assistance following his assessment tour of the devastated regions. ‘We can clearly see what Toamasina needs right now: above all, food, basic necessities, and building materials to quickly rebuild everything that has been destroyed,’ Randrianirina stated, calling for nationwide solidarity in recovery efforts.
Madagascar’s vulnerability to extreme weather events remains heightened due to socioeconomic challenges, with many of the nation’s 31 million inhabitants residing in structurally inadequate housing. This marks the latest in a series of climate disasters for the Indian Ocean island, which has endured over a dozen cyclones or severe tropical storms since 2020, including another powerful system that claimed 14 lives just last month.