Cyclone Gezani Devastates Eastern Madagascar, Killing Dozens

The powerful Cyclone Gezani has carved a path of ruin across Madagascar, leaving at least 31 people dead and displacing thousands. The storm struck the eastern port city of Toamasina late Tuesday with winds exceeding 195 km/h, triggering red alerts for floods and landslides across several regions.

According to the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management, building collapses contributed to the death toll, with 36 people seriously injured and four others missing. More than 6,000 residents have been forced from their homes. In Toamasina, a city of 400,000, one resident described a scene of total devastation to AFP. "It’s monstrous. Everything is devastated," they said, noting that even well-constructed homes in nicer neighborhoods lost roofs and walls.

Colonel Michael Randrianirina, who leads the country following last October's military takeover, visited the stricken city. His office estimates 75 percent of Toamasina's infrastructure is damaged or destroyed. The French forecaster CMRS confirmed the port took a direct hit from the cyclone's most intense core, comparing Gezani's strength to Cyclone Geralda, a 1994 storm that killed hundreds.

This disaster compounds a recent tragedy; just under two weeks ago, Cyclone Fytia struck northwestern Madagascar, killing 12. Gezani has since weakened to a tropical storm as it moves inland, passing north of the capital, Antananarivo. Forecasters warn it could re-intensify over the Mozambique Channel and potentially turn back toward Madagascar's southwest coast next week, prompting alerts in Mozambique as well. The repeated storms highlight the acute vulnerability of the island nation, where poverty and inadequate shelter magnify the impact of such intense weather.