Devastation in Madagascar: Cyclone Gezani Claims Lives and Causes Chaos

Wed Feb 11 2026 20:47:17 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Cyclone Gezani has wreaked havoc in Madagascar, leading to the deaths of at least 20 people as it hits Toamasina. The powerful cyclone, with winds reaching 250 km/h, has left the port city in destruction.

Cyclone Gezani struck Madagascar's main port, Toamasina, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 individuals and extensive damage. The cyclone's impact included collapsed buildings, uprooted trees, and disrupted power lines. Residents described scenes of chaos as 90% of homes lost their roofs. Authorities have evacuated hundreds from the affected areas, with the storm now weakened and moving inland. This cyclone comes shortly after another that had similarly devastating effects on the region.

Devastation in Madagascar: Cyclone Gezani Claims Lives and Causes Chaos

Cyclone Gezani has wreaked havoc in Madagascar, leading to the deaths of at least 20 people as it hits Toamasina. The powerful cyclone, with winds reaching 250 km/h, has left the port city in destruction.

At least 20 people have died after a powerful cyclone struck Madagascar, according to the disaster authority in the Indian Ocean island.

Cyclone Gezani made landfall on Tuesday, directly impacting the country's main port, Toamasina.

Madagascar's disaster management office reported total chaos as houses collapsed in the impact zone, where many bodies were found. The cyclone's fierce winds uprooted trees, snapped power lines, and displaced countless individuals.

It's total chaos; 90% of house roofs have been blown off, entirely or partially, said Rija Randrianarisoa, head of disaster management at Action Against Hunger.

According to forecasters, Gezani's landfall was one of the most intense recorded in recent years for the area.

The cyclone washed through neighborhoods in the port city, where reports indicated that many died as homes collapsed under the force of the winds.

Madagascar's disaster management office has evacuated dozens of injured people and hundreds of residents from Toamasina, where approximately 400,000 people reside.

Witnesses shared their horror during the storm: I have never experienced winds this violent... The doors and windows are made of metal, but they are being violently shaken, said a local resident.

Furthermore, this cyclone marks the second disaster of its kind to hit Madagascar this year, following Tropical Cyclone Fytia which caused 14 deaths and displaced over 31,000 people shortly before.

In anticipation of the storm, officials suspended classes and set up emergency shelters for the affected populations.

On Wednesday morning, the meteorological service reported that Cyclone Gezani had weakened to a tropical storm and moved westwards into the inland area, with the new leader of Madagascar, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, on-site to assess the damage.

The cyclone season in the Indian Ocean around Madagascar typically spans from November to April, with around a dozen storms expected each year.