Two people were killed and thousands left homeless when a ruinous cyclone smashed the northern coast of Madagascar this week, authorities said on Saturday.
Cyclone Indlala left a trail of devastation in its wake on Thursday, damaging buildings and infrastructure on the Indian Ocean island.
The deaths occurred in the village of Antalaha, 570km north of the capital, Antananarivo, said Jacky Randriaharison, national emergencies chief.
”The provisional toll from Indlala is 2 850 homeless, but this number will rise,” Randriaharison said, adding that there had been considerable material damage.
A national electricity station 160km east of Antananarivo was damaged, seriously limiting its output. Repairs are scheduled for next week.
Indlala is the sixth cyclone to hit the island since the beginning of December. Cyclone season on the island runs between December and March.
Two people were killed on December 26 when Cyclone Bondo reached the south-western Menabe region. — Sapa-AFP