Madagascar: Cyclone Gezani Hits Madagascar, Leaves 31 Dead

MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
12 February 2026
allAfrica.com

At least 31 people have died after Cyclone Gezani struck Madagascar, causing severe destruction in the port city of Toamasina.

Madagascar's disaster management office said there was "total chaos" as houses collapsed in the impact zone, where the bodies were found. Winds reached up to 250 km/h, tearing off roofs, uprooting trees and plunging neighbourhoods into darkness.

Military leader Colonel Michael Randrianirina said the damage overwhelmed the country's capacity to respond, with nearly three-quarters of Toamasina destroyed. Dozens of injured residents and hundreds more were evacuated, while survivors described the storm as the most violent they had ever experienced.

Gezani, the second cyclone to hit Madagascar this year. It comes 10 days after tropical cyclone Fytia killed 14 and displaced over 31,000 people, according to the UN's humanitarian office.

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