The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced that approximately 220,000 individuals require immediate humanitarian assistance due to the catastrophic impact of Tropical Cyclone Gamany in Northeast Madagascar.
The cyclone, which made landfall on March 27, caused widespread destruction and triggered significant flooding across various regions.
In a report from Geneva, the IOM stated that initial assessments indicated over 535,000 people were affected in 33 towns submerged by floods, resulting in 18 deaths and displacing 22,000 individuals.
Nearly 19,000 homes were inundated, with substantial damage reported to roads and critical infrastructure, including 22 health centers and 135 schools.
The agency also highlighted that over 2,200 hectares of rice fields are at risk of siltation, posing a severe threat to the livelihoods of the population in the affected areas.
The IOM warned that emergency supplies in the country are on the verge of depletion, having been utilized to support disaster-affected communities since the beginning of the year.
Access to the cyclone-affected regions remains challenging, with relief being delivered by air or sea due to damaged roads and bridges. The organization emphasized the urgent need for additional funding to continue relief efforts amidst limited resources.
Madagascar is highly vulnerable to natural hazards and ranks among the top ten countries most susceptible to climate change impacts worldwide.
The island nation has faced a series of disasters, including droughts, floods, and cyclones in recent years, leading to fatalities, significant damage to homes, vital infrastructure, and productive assets, in addition to mass displacement of people.
The effects of natural hazards are exacerbated by widespread environmental degradation, with a third of the island’s land resources currently affected by erosion, severely impacting the population’s ability to adapt and address the problem sustainably.
The IOM is urgently calling for support to address the humanitarian crisis in Madagascar.
The United Nations estimates that 2.3 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance in the country.
An appeal for $90 million was made for the year 2024, of which less than 20% has been funded, receiving less than $15 million to date.
