Cyclone Gezani Kills 38 in Madagascar, Hits Toamasina

A powerful tropical cyclone struck Madagascar's eastern coast on Tuesday, killing at least 38 people and causing widespread destruction in the port city of Toamasina, authorities reported Thursday. The storm, named Gezani, made landfall with winds exceeding 250 kilometers per hour, flattening homes, uprooting trees and flooding neighborhoods in the city's 400,000 residents.

The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management updated the death toll to 38, with six people still missing and at least 374 injured. More than 12,000 individuals were displaced, and over 250,000 others affected across the Atsinanana region surrounding Toamasina. Officials attributed many fatalities to building collapses, as the cyclone ripped roofs from structures and toppled power lines. Assessments indicated that more than 18,000 homes were destroyed, while over 50,000 were damaged or flooded, leaving large sections of the city without electricity and submerged in knee-deep water.

President Colonel Michael Randrianirina, who assumed leadership following a military transition in October, declared a national disaster and visited Toamasina to survey the damage. Accompanied by officials, he toured flooded...