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Madagascar - Rainy and Cyclone Season - Flash Update No.1, as of 24 January 2022

Países
Madagascar
Fuentes
OCHA
Fecha de publicación

HIGHLIGHTS

• Intense rainfall caused by two different tropical weather systems has caused flooding, landslides and loss of life in Madagascar, particularly affecting the country’s capital, Antananarivo.

• At least 34 people have died and over 62,000 have been affected, including more than 35,200 who have been displaced or preventively evacuated in Antananarivo.

• Heavy rainfall is expected to persist and could affect other regions of the country in the days ahead, with the possibility of other tropical storms hitting the east coast of Madagascar.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Intense rainfall caused by two different tropical weather systems which have impacted Madagascar over the last week has driven flooding, landslides, destruction of infrastructure and loss of life, particularly affecting the country’s capital, Antananarivo, and other areas of Analamanga Region, in the centre of the country. The rains were initially driven by an Intertropical Convergence Zone around 17 January and increased when a Tropical Depression made landfall in the east of the country on 22 January and exited the other side of the island on 23 January.

More than 62,000 people have been affected in 7 regions, including more than 58,000 in Analamanga Region—mainly in Antananarivo-Renivohitra districts—according to authorities. At least 34 people have died—24 during the weekend— almost all of them in the capital, where traditional houses collapsed, and others were swept away by landslides.

Over 6,800 houses are under water and many others are at risk of flooding or collapsing, forcing over 35,260 people to take shelter in 62 displacement sites established by the authorities, according to the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC). Nearly 27,000 people were displaced or evacuated this past weekend (22-23 January) alone, and the Government continues to carry out preventive evacuations in Antananarivo, which is on red alert for further flooding as the levels of rivers are increasing and reaching the emergency threshold. The red alert for floods has led the Ministry of Education to extend the suspension of classes—previously announced on 20 January for 48 hours in Analamanga Region, which includes the capital, Antananarivo—until 28 January in different localities. The rains have also damaged roads and other infrastructure in the Analamanga Region, including the water intake structure of the treatment station in Ambohidratrimosome District. Some parts of the national road connecting the capital to Ambatondrazaka, in the east of the country, were also destroyed, impacting transport in and out of Antananarivo.

Across Madagascar, heavy rainfall is expected to persist and could impact many regions in the days ahead, including Alaotra, Analamanga, Analanjirofo, Atsinanana, Betsiboka, Boeny, Diana, Mangoro, Sava and Sofia, according to Meteo Madagascar and other weather services. The Tropical Depression that left the country on 23 January has evolved into the Moderate Tropical Storm Ana and is still causing rains in Madagascar. In addition, Meteo Madagascar and the Red Cross Piroi Centre are monitoring other tropical weather systems currently in the south-west of the Indian Ocean, which could lead to the formation of tropical storms or even cyclones in the coming days.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.