Cyclone Belal which hit Reunion and Mauritius this week spared Madagascar. But for its part, the country has been facing particularly intense rains since Monday. Most of the island is affected – with the exception of the South and South-West. These stormy showers, carried by a large cloud cluster, will continue this Sunday, January 21. The National Risk and Disaster Management Office (BGNRC) already has two missing and nearly 3,400 victims of the previous rains.
2 mins
With our correspondent in Antananarivo, Pauline Le Troquier
In four days, the heavy rains which fell on the Big Island displaced nearly 1,600 people, most of them in the North in the regions of Boeny and Sofia. Since the start of the precipitation, several roads and houses have been submerged under water. Sandrine, resident of the island of Nosy Be.
“ There is so much rain that the water comes into the house, these are houses that are in the slums. There are bridges that we can no longer cross because there is too much water. In the alleys or the paths which are dirt, there is too much mud and we can no longer pass. »
A situation which has paralyzed part of the island in recent days, bringing school activities to a halt in places.
For now, the damage extends to 9 of Madagascar’s 23 regions. Submerged, four roads are currently cut. In the Boeny region, a hydro-agricultural dam gave way when a river flooded. In Ambatondrazaka, Madagascar’s rice granary, tens of hectares of rice fields have been destroyed.
In the coming hours, the Big Island is called to be vigilant. Before a return to dry weather this Monday, January 22, “ stormy activities can be expected across the country », warns Lovandrainy Ratovoarisoa, forecaster at Météo Madagascar.
Particularly exposed, the Diana region in the north is on yellow “heavy rain” alert. Its residents are already being asked to evacuate areas likely to be flooded.