Tropical cyclone Batsirai hit Madagascar in the evening from Saturday to Sunday February 6. If it lost power overnight, flooding is to be feared due to heavy rainfall. A very provisional assessment at midday already counts 6 dead and at least 48,000 victims in the great South-East.
With our special correspondent in Mahanoro, Laura Verneau
The main damage is in Mananjary, the most affected city. This is where the cyclone hit first, Saturday evening, at 8 p.m. In the middle of the afternoon this Sunday, the city is still inaccessible by air, sea or by road. The roofs were almost all torn off by gusts of wind blowing at 235 kilometers per hour. A few solid buildings, including the gendarmes’ barracks, were also destroyed.
But it is not the only city of Mananjary which has been affected. 200 kilometers away, a little further inland, the city of Fianarantsoa was also affected by Cyclone Batsirai around 9:30 p.m. Roofs have also been washed away and roads are currently blocked by fallen trees. The city is still without water or electricity at the moment.
Read also: The eye of cyclone Batsirai hit Madagascar and caused its first damages
Quieter atmosphere in Mahanoro
In Mahanoro, on the east coast, that is to say 150 kilometers from the impact, the atmosphere is very different. Until the last moment, the population remained in expectation. Saturday, at 11 p.m., residents were still strolling in the street despite the wind which was beginning to blow. Everything was planned for the cyclone. The roofs had been reinforced, the trees pruned. But overall, the population remained very calm.
At night, the wind blew and a few squalls of rain fell. There is some damage noted. A cemetery was swept away by the sea and electric poles fell. This Sunday, overall, life has already resumed its course.