This satellite image from February 11, 2026 shows Cyclone Gezani making landfall on the east coast of Madagascar.Image: keystone
Feb 11, 2026, 5:32 p.mFeb 11, 2026, 5:32 p.m
According to authorities, a cyclone has killed at least 20 people and caused severe devastation in the southeast African island nation of Madagascar. The National Office for Risk Management and Civil Protection (BNGRC) said 15 people were missing and at least 33 people were injured when cyclone “Gezani”, which reached the mainland on Tuesday evening, swept across the island at speeds of up to 270 kilometers per hour.
The full extent of the destruction and the number of people affected cannot yet be finally determined, it was said. In the morning the average wind speed had reduced to around 110 kilometers per hour.
Northeast particularly badly affected
The northeastern port city of Toamasina, with around half a million inhabitants and the second largest city in Madagascar, was particularly badly affected by the strong gusts of wind and rain. According to the authority, 90 percent of all houses there were damaged.
The streets of the economic metropolis are blocked by fallen trees, electricity pylons and rubble. A telecommunications network that was severely disrupted by the storm and an interrupted power supply made rescue measures more difficult. In the Atsinanana region, where Toamasina is located, around 80 percent of the infrastructure was destroyed. According to initial counts, around 6,000 people have become homeless here.
The island state with around 30 million inhabitants, known for its vanilla production and located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Mozambique, is regularly affected by severe tropical storms. About three years ago, tropical storm “Freddy” devastated Madagascar and the neighboring countries of Mozambique and Malawi on the mainland. More than 500 people were killed. (sda/dpa)