Cyclone Batsirai kills 20 & displaces over 69k as strong winds cause havoc in Madagascar

At least 20 people have been killed and over 69,000 have been displaced after Cyclone Batsirai brought strong winds and rain to Madagascar on Saturday evening, Xinhua reported. The centre of the tropical storm landed near Mananjary, on the east coast, and moved inland across the island. AP reported citing the island’s meteorology department that Batsirai gained strength as it blew across the Indian Ocean with gale-forced winds reaching peaks of 235 kilometres each hour. 

Southern Africa's second-biggest cyclone this year, Batsirai, means help in the Shona language. The cyclone was classified as a dangerous storm and officials had previously warned that it could cause “significant and widespread damage, particularly flooding in the east, the southeast and the central highlands,” according to the department. After hitting the island on Saturday night, the cyclone ultimately weakened but caused wreaking havoc on the Indian Ocean island already reeling from a deadly tropical storm.

Even before Cyclone Batsirai made landfall in Mananjary, parts of the country witnessed heavy downpours and strong winds. Several trees have been uprooted, buildings have been destroyed, stated media reports. Meanwhile, Madagascar's meteorological office said on Sunday that the rain will cause flooding across parts of the country. As a precautionary measure, at least 22,000 people had already started evacuating gymnasiums, schools or churches especially around Mananjary, on the east coast. 

'Wind is getting stronger', commander of Mananjary’s gendarmerie had warned

Captain Ravahalahy Heninjoa, commander of Mananjary’s gendarmerie, said on Saturday, “The wind is getting stronger and there is a lot of rain. The sea is very rough. There are big waves that come down with a lot of force”. He had also said that winds themselves toppled the trees and caused other destruction. Authorities in the world’s fourth-largest island, Madagascar suspended most of land and sea transport in anticipation of widespread destruction. 

The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management had said, “Almost all regions of the island are at risk” and had warned that the cyclone threatens nearly 600,000 of the island’s 28 million people. In the aftermath of the cyclone, most of Mananjary was termed ‘destroyed’ with thousands fleeing home for safety. 

(Image: AP)