Madagascar flooding update: 19 dead and 37,000 displaced

Floods in Madagascar

The flood situation in Madagascar is worsening. The latest report from Madagascar's disaster management agency, the Bureau National de Gestion des Risques et des Catastrophes (BNGRC) said that further assessments of the flood disaster that struck on 26 February show that 19 people have been killed, 36,956 have been displaced and over 60,000 affected by the disaster.

517 houses have been destroyed and 1,698 damaged in the floods. BNGRC also report that the floods have damaged 6,339 hectares of rice fields.

Three regions of the country have been affected. Over 2,000 people have been displaced in Alaotra Mangoro region. The worst affected region is Analamanga where 18 of the deaths occurred, many of them around the country's capital, Antananarivo. The remaining fatality occurred in Vakinankaratra region.

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High Alerts

BNGRC issued a list of around 20 districts or communities still on high alert as of 01 March 2015.

Antananarivo Renivohitra, Masindray, Ambohimanambola, Alasora, Ankaraobato, Tanjombato, Soavina, Anosizato-Andrefana, Andranonahoatra, Bemasoandro, Ambohidrapeto, Ankadimanga, Ampitatafika, Fenoarivo, Itaosy, Ambohitrimanjaka, Antehiroka, Talatamaty, Sabotsy Namehana and Ankadikely Ilafy.

River Levels

However, there is hope for some relief ahead, as levels of the Ikopa and Sisaony rivers are expected to fall in the next 24 hours so long as there is no further heavy rainfall.

More Rain

Yesterday did see some heavy rain fall in northern parts of the country. Antalaha in the Sava Region saw 53 mm of rain in 24 hours to 01 March 2015, according to WMO.