Madagascar reels under impact of deadly floods, landslide

The torrential rains that fell on northwestern Madagascar for nearly a week have caused death and destruction, the government said Friday. Authorities said at least 31 people had died and 15 others were missing

The rains have also washed away crop fields promoting the Office of Disaster Risk Management to issue a food insecurity alert in the coming months and malnutrition due to flooding of the rice plains and lowlands.

A farmer who spoke to the media said: “There are about 800 hectares of rice fields that have been destroyed by water and mud. It is our rice that was cultivated from November to January that was ravaged”.

Chair of _AfricanUnion reacts to deadly floods and landslides in #Madagascar ??⛈️
- Death toll is 26 with 20 missing
- Undpmadagascar says over 92,000 people affected
- Rains are expected to continue into next week
- Pres. SE_Rajoelina has been leading rescue efforts https://t.co/OSAe4qtYuk

— africanews (africanews) January 25, 2020

Jean Andriamanantena added: “The Alaotra Mangora region is known to be the rice granary of Madagascar, but this is no longer the case with this flood. We are in danger.”

Flooding has also hit critical infrastructure such as roads. Authorities have appealed for international aid. With a tropical climate, the Indian ocean island nation, faces a period of very intense rains every year from October to April.

In January 2019, nine people were killed in the capital Antananarivo after a house collapsed after heavy rains.

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