ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar: Cyclone Gamane, initially projected to bypass Madagascar, took an unexpected turn and struck the island nation, resulting in devastating consequences.
The cyclone made landfall in the north, claiming the lives of 11 individuals and affecting around 7,000 people. The slow-moving nature of the cyclone exacerbated its destructive impact, causing floods, collapsing houses, and uprooting trees.
General Elack Andriakaja of the BNRGC highlighted the unusual stationary movement of the cyclone, which intensified infrastructure damage and flooding, posing significant challenges for the affected population.
Despite being reclassified as a tropical storm, Cyclone Gamane continued to unleash havoc, with meteorologists anticipating its departure from the island by Friday afternoon. The disaster underscores the vulnerability of Madagascar to cyclonic events during the southwestern Indian Ocean’s cyclone season, emphasizing the importance of robust disaster management measures.
