Powerful cyclone kills dozens in Madagascar (PHOTOS/VIDEO)
Nearly 424,000 people have been affected by a storm that destroyed homes, hospitals, and schools across five regions
Cyclone Gezani has killed at least 59 people in Madagascar and forced over 16,000 residents from their homes, the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC) reported on Monday.
The agency said 15 people are still missing and 804 injured, and that about 424,000 people have been affected by storm damage.
Madagascar’s government declared a state of national disaster on February 14 in response to the cyclone’s widespread destruction.
A provisional damage assessment released by the BNGRC shows that 25 districts in five regions – Atsinanana, Analamanga, Analanjirofo, Itasy and Alaotra Mangoro – were impacted by Cyclone Gezani. The report said thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed, with some areas reporting severe infrastructure loss, including hospitals and schools.
Cyclone Gezani was an intense tropical cyclone when it struck the island state in the Indian ocean, with sustained winds reported near 185 km/h and gusts up to about 270 km/h, which caused heavy rains and significant flooding in several districts, making some roads completely impassable.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted on Friday that the storm had moved into the Mozambique Channel and could affect central and southern Mozambique, “with a possibility that it might curve back toward Madagascar’s south-west coast.”
Just days before Gezani struck, Madagascar was hit by another storm. Tropical Cyclone Fytia made landfall on January 31, causing widespread flooding in north-western Madagascar and triggering a humanitarian response, the OCHA reported.
10 Şubat 2026 Toamasina Madagaskar ????????
— Hermes (@hermesisos) February 10, 2026
Gezani Tropikal Fırtınası ???? https://t.co/ItOJIe9yzA pic.twitter.com/Myd5mjpHiE
“As of 6 February, 12 deaths were reported, more than 31,000 people displaced and over 200,000 affected across 35 districts in nine regions, with Boeny Region the worst affected,” the UN agency stated.
Severe flooding has hit parts of southern Africa last month after weeks of heavy rain, with Mozambique one of affected countries. Floodwaters caused rivers to overflow, prompting the government to declare a Red Alert on January 16 and appeal for humanitarian assistance.
READ MORE: Catastrophic floods hit Mozambique (VIDEO)
In South Africa, flooding hit Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces after weeks of rain, killing at least 30 people, damaging thousands of homes, and forcing evacuations, including from Kruger National Park.