The death toll in Madagascar has tragically risen to 38 following the devastating passage of Cyclone Gezani, which tore through the island nation earlier this week. The storm, which packed ferocious winds of up to 250 kilometers per hour, has left a trail of destruction that is only now being fully understood as rescue teams reach the hardest-hit areas.
Toamasina, the country’s second-largest city and a vital economic hub, bore the brunt of the impact. Local reports gathered by Reports indicate that roughly 75 percent of the city has been ravaged, with aerial footage showing a landscape of uprooted trees, collapsed buildings, and thousands of homes stripped of their roofs. For the 400,000 residents of the city, the aftermath has been a grim struggle for survival, as many are seen digging through the ruins of their homes to salvage whatever remains.
The human cost is staggering. Beyond the confirmed fatalities, the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC) reports that at least 374 people have been injured, while six others remain missing. The displacement crisis is equally dire, with more than 12,000 people forced into temporary shelters after over 18,000 homes were completely destroyed. In total, the storm has affected upwards of 260,000 people across several regions, compounding the misery of a nation still reeling from a separate cyclone that struck just weeks ago.
Madagascar’s leader, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, has officially declared a state of national disaster and issued an urgent plea for international solidarity. He emphasized that the scale of the destruction comparable to the historic and deadly Cyclone Geralda of 1994—is beyond the country’s internal capacity to manage. Emergency supplies, food, and building materials are now the top priorities as the government attempts to stabilize the situation in the Atsinanana region.
While the storm has moved away from Madagascar’s landmass, the danger is far from over. After weakening into a tropical storm as it crossed the island, Gezani is now re-intensifying over the warm waters of the Mozambique Channel. Forecasters warn that it could regain intense cyclone status by Friday evening, posing a severe threat to southern Mozambique. This is particularly concerning for a region already struggling with massive flooding that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people since the start of the year.
As the international community begins to respond, the focus remains on preventing further loss of life in the storm’s projected path. For the people of Madagascar, however, the long and painful road to reconstruction has only just begun.
