Tropical Cyclone Gezani has made landfall on Madagascar’s east coast, leaving at least 20 people dead and dozens injured as ferocious winds and rain tore through coastal areas, officials said on Wednesday. The storm, described by residents as “monstrous”, caused widespread destruction in the port city of Toamasina and surrounding districts, collapsing homes, uprooting trees and cutting power across large swaths of the island nation.
At its peak, Gezani struck with winds reaching up to 250 km/h, battering Toamasina, Madagascar’s second-largest city of about 400,000 residents and displacing thousands of people from their homes. Drone footage and eyewitness accounts depicted flooded streets, roofs torn off houses and entire neighbourhoods submerged under heavy rain. Authorities reported that many of the casualties resulted from building collapses as the cyclone struck late Tuesday.
The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC) said that at least 15 people remain missing and dozens more were injured as emergency teams continue to assess the scale of the devastation. Roads and bridges have been blocked by debris, making access to hard-hit areas difficult for relief efforts.
President Michael Randrianirina, who came to power following a military coup last year, visited the affected regions to survey the damage and meet with survivors, according to official government videos shared online. He pledged government support for response operations and called on residents to follow safety advisories as recovery efforts begin.
Meteorological services in Madagascar issued red alerts for multiple regions, warning of continued risk from flooding, flash floods and landslides as Gezani moves inland. The storm has weakened somewhat but is expected to cross the island and enter the Mozambique Channel later, where it could re-intensify before potentially approaching other parts of the region.
The latest cyclone comes just days after another powerful storm, Cyclone Fytia, hit the northwest of Madagascar, killing more than a dozen people and displacing tens of thousands. Aid agencies and local authorities have expressed concern over the compounded impact of back-to-back cyclones on communities already struggling with poverty and limited infrastructure.
Humanitarian teams are working against the clock to reach remote inland communities cut off by flooding and debris, but challenging terrain and ongoing weather threats are slowing the deployment of assistance and emergency supplies. International agencies have underscored the urgent need for shelter, food and medical aid as survivors grapple with the aftermath of one of the season’s most severe storms.