The death toll from Tropical Cyclone Gezani in Madagascar has risen to 36, with six people still missing and 374 injured, according to the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNRGC). The storm, which made landfall on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, devastated the eastern port city of Toamasina with winds reaching 250 km/h.
Over 8,800 residents have been displaced, while more than 18,000 homes were destroyed and 50,000 damaged or flooded. Colonel Michael Randrianirina, Madagascar's new leader, described the cyclone as having "ravaged up to 75 percent of Toamasina and its surrounds" and called for international solidarity to support recovery efforts.
Relief operations are underway, but infrastructure challenges persist in affected regions. The disaster highlights Madagascar's vulnerability to extreme weather events, which scientists link to warming Indian Ocean temperatures.
