Attachments
This report covers the period 01/01/2012 to 30/06/2012
Overview
Prone as they are to natural disasters the Indian Ocean Islands are yet again experiencing both cyclones and flash floods. During the reporting period both Madagascar and the Comoros were hit by disasters, as heavy storms hit Madagascar and heavy rains flooded parts of the Comoros.
Since mid-February, Madagascar has been affected consecutively by the Intense Tropical Cyclone (ITC) Giovanna, followed by the severe Tropical Storm (TS) Irina and soon after by an active Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) that brought additional heavy rains. While ITC Giovanna caused significant damage to houses as a result of very strong winds of up to 230 km/h in the eastern and central part of the island. TS Irina and the ITCZ resulted in massive floods and landslides in the south-eastern area. According to the authorities, a total of 112 people died, 299 were wounded, 54,000 were displaced. In total more than 300,000 people were affected. The Tropical Storm Irina killed at least 65 people and affected more than 70,000 residents of the Ifanadiana District in the south eastern part of Madagascar. Heavy rains inundated the Comoros Islands from 20 April 2012, causing the worst flooding in decades. As of 26 April, over 64,987 people were affected and more than 9,000 displaced on the islands of Grande Comore, Mohéli and Anjouan. At the request of the Comoros Red Crescent Society (CRCS) and with support from the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent (IFRC), an emergency appeal was launched to assist up to 20,000 affected beneficiaries (4,000 households) through relief distribution of non-food items, water and sanitation hygiene (WASH) kits, hygiene promotion activities, as well as health and care interventions, including first aid and psychosocial support.