A man attempts to rescue belongings from his flooded home. © CARE/Dasy IbrahimA tropical cyclone that hit Madagascar on 14 February has damaged and flooded towns and villages in the northeast of the country, killing at least six people. The damage is still being assessed, but reports indicate that flooding to houses, roads and crops could lead to food shortages.
Damage to the bridge and road has left the small fishing village of Vinanivao, and others like it, cut off from food markets. More than 600 homes were destroyed, leaving thousands without proper shelter. The cyclone also ruined about 500 hectares of rice just months from harvest.
CARE International’s Emergency and Disaster Relief Coordinator, Didier Young, said although the category-two cyclone has not done as much structural damage as expected, flooding to rice paddies could mean food shortages this year.
"If a cyclone hits at the beginning of the season, it is still possible with short cycle varieties to replant, but after the beginning of February it’s becoming almost impossible, because it’s not going to grow," said Young. "It’s going to get cold before the plants produce grain, so there will be no harvest."
Damage to crops at this time of the year, when food and money are at their lowest point preceding the main harvest in April, is particularly problematic in Madagascar. This could cause immediate food shortages.
CARE International will deliver plastic sheeting and food supplies via boat to the worst hit areas of northeast Madagascar that have been cut off, and rebuild the houses of the most vulnerable who cannot seek out new materials from the forests.
