Cyclone Gezani slams Toamasina, Madagascar, kills dozens and moves toward Mozambique

The night the storm came ashore

Cyclone Gezani came ashore along the Indian Ocean coast of northeastern Madagascar late Tuesday night. The storm drove straight into the port city of Toamasina, Madagascar.

Winds surged beyond 195 kilometers per hour. Roofs lifted and flew. Tin sheets clattered across streets. Windows burst. Power failed before the core of the storm arrived. Darkness followed.

Forecasters confirmed that the port of Toamasina was struck by the most intense part of the cyclone as it pushed inland from east to west. Red alerts were issued for Analanjirofo, Atsinanana, Alaotra Mangoro, Analamanga, and Betsiboka as the storm moved toward the central highlands.

Homes collapse, families flee

Walls gave way under pressure. Houses folded in on themselves. Entire blocks filled with water.
The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management reported that building collapses caused many of the deaths as Gezani made landfall. At least 31 people were killed. Dozens were injured. Four people were missing. More than 6,000 people were forced from their homes.

Residents spoke as phone signals returned for brief moments. Their words came through in fragments.

“It is devastation. Roofs have been blown away, walls have collapsed, power poles are down, trees have been uprooted. It looks like a catastrophic landscape," said Michel from Toamasina.

Another resident described the scene from a damaged neighborhood:
“Everything is devastated. Roofs have been blown off, floors are flooded, the walls of solid houses have collapsed. Even the well built neighborhoods are destroyed."

The storm cut electricity hours before landfall. Streets went dark. Water moved fast through doorways and across floors.

Floodwaters spread, slopes give way

Meteo Madagascar warned of widespread flooding, flash floods, and landslides as the cyclone crossed the island. Rain hammered the ground. Soil loosened. Hillsides slid.

Damage spread beyond the coast and into inland districts. Humanitarian agencies reported broad losses:

• 18,600 homes flooded, damaged, or destroyed
• 493 classrooms damaged
• 20 health facilities affected
• Rice fields heavily damaged

Floodwater reached drinking water sources. Wells turned muddy. Streams ran brown. Public health risks followed the water into low lying neighborhoods.

Across the island, then back toward open water

As Gezani crossed Madagascar, the storm weakened to a tropical storm. Wind speeds fell as the system moved inland. The center passed about 100 kilometers north of Antananarivo, Madagascar. Red alerts remained in place for flood and landslide risks across central regions.

Forecasters said the storm was expected to move into the Mozambique Channel between Maintirano and Morondava. Over open water, the system could strengthen again.

Authorities in Mozambique issued weather alerts for coastal provinces. The coast watched the horizon. Recent floods had already strained communities. The sea remained restless.

A season of repeated blows

Gezani arrived just days after Tropical Cyclone Fytia struck northwestern Madagascar. The ground was still wet. Some homes had not been repaired. The new storm found little resilience left.

Cyclone season runs from November to March. Storms return before recovery is complete. Damage stacks upon damage.

International agencies released emergency funds as the storm approached. Forecasters said the landfall ranked among the most intense recorded in the region during the satellite era.