Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Tropical Cyclone Batsirai is not expected to pose a serious risk to Mozambique as it was forecast to dissipate further as it exits Madagascar, the national meteorological department said on Monday.
Officials said the tropical cyclone killed at least 20 people and displaced 55 000 others in Madagascar after making landfall on the country’s eastern coast.
The tropical storm weakened quickly as it moved southwest across the island, missing the capital Antananarivo.
Batsirai reportedly destroyed about 3 000 dwellings and government buildings and flooded 5 700 others in Mananjary and nearby towns.
Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina, went to Mananjary on Monday to see the storm’s destruction and the relief efforts.
General Elack Andriankaja, director-general of the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management, told The Associated Press news agency:
The first thing the government is doing is to see how to repair and rehabilitate administrative buildings, prioritizing health centres and hospitals.
Many administrative buildings are completely destroyed in these regions, and in particular in Mananjary.
Tropical Cyclone Batsirai hit Madagascar barely a month after Tropical Storm Ana affected at least 131 000 people across the island, with most of the 55 deaths coming in Antananarivo.
Ana also hit Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, causing dozens of deaths.
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