Cyclone Batsirai: Devastation Strikes Madagascar with Fatal Consequences
Cyclone Batsirai has struck Madagascar, resulting in at least 10 deaths and displacing 48,000 people. This severe storm follows another cyclone, Ana, and has caused significant destruction, particularly in towns like Mananjary and Nosy Varika. The cyclone’s effects have overwhelmed local infrastructures, prompting urgent calls for assistance and recovery efforts.
Cyclone Batsirai has caused significant devastation in Madagascar, killing at least 10 individuals and displacing around 48,000 people. The island’s disaster management office reported these figures following the cyclone’s landfall. Tragically, some casualties occurred in the town of Ambalavao, where houses collapsed amid the storm’s fury.
This cyclone, the second severe storm to impact Madagascar in two weeks, made landfall in Mananjary with winds reaching 165 km/h (103 mph). The storm uprooted trees and destroyed numerous buildings, prompting residents to secure their roofs against destruction. A local resident described the devastating scene: “Mananjary is completely destroyed, no matter where you go everything is destroyed.”
Willy Raharijaona, a technical adviser to Madagascar’s Senate vice president, remarked on the extensive flooding that has isolated various regions. He stated, “It’s as if we had just been bombed. The city of Nosy Varika is almost 95 percent destroyed.”
The weather service Meteo-France had warned earlier that Batsirai presented a major threat after affecting Mauritius and causing heavy rainfall in La Reunion. Currently, about 10,000 people on La Reunion remain without electricity, with 12 injured due to the cyclone.
Prior to Batsirai, Tropical Storm Ana had already impacted Madagascar, affecting over 131,000 residents and leaving nearly 60 dead, primarily in the capital. Ana had also influenced neighboring countries, resulting in additional fatalities.
Despite its recent intensity, Meteo Madagascar indicated that Batsirai weakened as it traversed the country, with average wind speeds decreasing significantly. In the eastern town of Mahanoro, a local resident reflected on loss, watching over family members’ graves displaced by the encroaching sea: “A few days ago the sea was far away, but this morning I was told the waves had washed away part of the cemetery.”
The widow voiced concerns about the family’s already challenging daily life and expressed the traumatic need to temporarily relocate the remains of her family until funds for a proper burial could be secured.
Cyclone Batsirai has inflicted severe damage on Madagascar, with significant fatalities and widespread displacement. The destruction in affected towns illustrates the dire consequences of severe weather patterns in the region. Recovery efforts will be critical, particularly for those who lost their homes and loved ones, as Madagascar grapples with the aftermath of two major storms in quick succession.
Original Source: www.aljazeera.com
