Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Cyclone Gezani Kills Dozens In Madagascar’s Port City Of Toamasina
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR (Worthy News) – Tropical Cyclone Gezani collapsed houses in Madagascar’s main port city of Toamasina and left at least 31 people dead as it tore across the Indian Ocean island with powerful winds and heavy rain, authorities said Wednesday.
The storm made landfall late Tuesday in Toamasina, a key commercial port on Madagascar’s eastern coast and the country’s primary gateway for imports and exports. Wind speeds exceeded 195 kilometers per hour (121 miles per hour), prompting red alerts in several regions warning of flooding and landslides.
The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management said building collapses accounted for many of the fatalities. At least 36 people were seriously injured, four were reported missing, and more than 6,000 residents were displaced from their homes.
Power has been cut off in Toamasina since Tuesday, and large sections of the city remain flooded.
PRESIDENT SURVEYS DAMAGE
President Michael Randrianirina, who took office in October following a military coup, visited Toamasina to assess the damage and meet residents, according to videos released by his office showing flooded neighborhoods, homes, and shops with windows blown out and roofs torn off, and debris scattered across streets.
Randrianirina’s office said around 75 percent of the city’s infrastructure had been damaged or destroyed.
“It’s devastation. Roofs have been blown away, walls have collapsed, power poles are down, and trees have been uprooted. It looks like a catastrophic landscape,” said resident Michel, who gave only his first name.
STORM WEAKENS, BUT THREAT REMAINS
Gezani weakened to a tropical storm as it moved inland, passing about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of the capital, Antananarivo, according to Madagascar’s national weather service.
Forecasts showed the system was expected to move into the Mozambique Channel and could regain strength before potentially turning back toward Madagascar’s southwest coast next week.
Authorities in Mozambique also issued weather alerts, warning that three coastal provinces could be affected if the storm strengthens again.
SECOND CYCLONE IN WEEKS
Gezani struck less than two weeks after Tropical Cyclone Fytia hit on January 31, killing 14 people and displacing more than 85,000, according to Madagascar’s disaster management agency.
The United Nations released $3 million from its emergency response fund to help Madagascar prepare for the impacts of Gezani, U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said earlier this week.
Cyclone season in Madagascar runs from roughly November to March and regularly brings severe weather to one of the world’s poorest nations, which often struggles to recover between storms.
VULNERABILITY TO CYCLONES
Madagascar, the world’s fourth-largest island, has been impacted by more than a dozen tropical storms or cyclones since 2020. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction estimates such storms cause roughly $85 million in infrastructure damage annually, hampering development.
Experts remain divided over whether climate change is directly increasing cyclone frequency in the region, though many scientists say warmer ocean temperatures can intensify storms.
Disaster risk specialists also note that rapid urbanization, fragile housing construction, and inadequate infrastructure contribute significantly to high casualty numbers when powerful cyclones strike.
Authorities warned that the death toll could rise as damage assessments continue.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
French authorities have warned that rising anti-religious hatred is threatening “the very balance of our society,” with Jews and Christians suffering the largest number of reported attacks in France.
The European Union and Hungary said Friday they had reached a landmark agreement that could eventually unlock up to 16.4 billion euros ($18.8 billion) in previously suspended funding if Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s government completes sweeping anti-corruption and rule-of-law reforms.
Romanian authorities say a Russian drone struck an apartment building in eastern Romania, causing a fire and injuring two people, prompting condemnation from the NATO military alliance and the European Union.
A suspected Islamic extremist armed with a knife stabbed three men in front of schoolchildren at a train station near Zurich, Switzerland’s financial capital, officials said Thursday.
The Pentagon has spent months positioning warships, aircraft, surveillance assets, and Marines around the Caribbean as President Donald Trump weighs possible military action against Cuba, according to a Politico report.
U.S. Central Command has confirmed to Congress that foreign adversaries have exploited commercially available cell phone location data to surveil and potentially target American military personnel in active war zones, raising fresh concerns over troop security in the Middle East.
The U.S. Department of War is stepping up efforts to protect Christians in Nigeria after President Donald Trump directed military leaders to focus on terrorist networks targeting believers in the West African nation, War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com