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Madagascar - Cyclone Eline OCHA Situation Report No. 1

Countries
Madagascar
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2000/0025
Madagascar - Cyclone Eline
OCHA Situation Report No. 1
22 February 2000

Situation

1. The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Madagascar reported that Cyclone Eline made landfall on the east coast of Madagascar in the evening of 17 February, between the towns of Mahanoro and Vatomandry. Cyclone Eline crossed the country, passing approximately 80 km north of the capital city of Antananarivo and finally hit the town of Belo-Tsiribihina in the west before heading towards the African continent.

2. According to the information obtained through the Conseil National de Secours (CNS), in the province of Tamatave, 150 people were affected in Vatomandry, 2,500 in Mahanoro and 30 in Marolambo. In addition, 6 people were killed and one was seriously injured in Marolambo.

3. It is also reported that the following roads are disconnected: Vatomandry - Mahanoro, Antanabao - Mananpotsy - Ilaka - Vatomandry, and Marolambo - Mahanoro.

National and International Response

4. Urgently required relief items, such as rice, tents, iron sheets and fuel were partially supplied by the Government on 19 February.

5. Two survey flights took place on 21 February, supported by the Comité Restreint d'Intervention en cas de Cataclysmes (CRIC) - CNS. A team, consisting of CARE, "Coopération française", USAID and UNDP, carried out an aerial assessment over the East Coast. Another team, consisting of CSN, UNICEF and WFP flew over the west.

6. Aerial survey showed that the most affected zone is Mahanoro in the east, which is cut off. Water and electricity supplies have been reportedly disrupted in this area. In the west, flooding in Belo-Tsiribihina was observed, and the town is isolated. Parts of the town of Morondava have been flooded since three weeks ago. In addition, over the last two months outbreaks of cholera have affected this region, and the meteorological conditions may worsen the situation.

7. A coordination meeting, convened by CNS-CRIC, decided the following actions:

  • Dispatch of rapid field assessment teams, lead by CNS-CRIC, on 22 and 23 February, in particular, to Mahanoro area and east-coast inland;
  • Dispatch of an evaluation mission from the Regional Council of Antananarivo to rural zones near the capital;
  • Aerial survey in Belo-Tsiribihina and Morondava.

Assessment results obtained through the above will be analyzed by the National Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) and be made available in some 8 days.

8. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is in contact with the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Madagascar, who is closely monitoring the situation.

9. No request for international assistance has been received by OCHA to date.

10. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int

In case of emergency only:Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officer (OCHA Disaster Response Branch): Ms. Y. Sawada, direct Tel. +41-22-917 1768

Press contact: Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

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