Madagascar: Tropical Cyclone Gamane Flash Update No. 1, 28 March 2024

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Tropical Cyclone Gamane weather system, the third system affecting the country since January, has brought heavy rains and floods, leaving 6 people dead, one missing, more than 2,560 displaced and more than 600 homes flooded or damaged in Sava, Analanjirofo and Diana regions, in the north and north-east, on 27 March.

• During the night of 27 March, it emerged at sea on the Mozambique Channel side, in the north-west of Madagascar, weakening notably. Some districts in the north-east have received huge amounts of rainfall over the past few days. Sambava District received 300 mm of rain only on 26 March.

• Humanitarian partners report that the available pre-positioned stocks in the north-east region are limited, while some sectors do not have stocks on site. Accessibility to this region is difficult as it takes about three days from the capital by road in normal time. The road connecting the capital to the north-east region is currently cut-off due to the rains.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Tropical Cyclone (TC) Gamane made a landfall in Ampisikinana Commune, Sava Region and has brought heavy rains and floods, leaving 6 people dead, one missing, more than 2,560 displaced and more than 600 homes flooded or damaged in Sava, Analanjirofo and Diana regions, in the north and north-east, on 27 March, according to the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC) and Météo Madagascar.

The ninth Tropical Depression system of the current cyclone season has started to develop on the northeastern coast of Madagascar, at the Disturbed Zone stage as of 25 March. Some districts in the north-east have received huge rainfall over the past few days, Sambava district received 300 mm of rain only on 26 March. Madagascar issued a red alert for imminent danger in Diana and Sava regions; and a yellow alert of menace in Ambatosoa and Analanjirofo regions on 27 March.

During the night of 27 March, TC Gamane emerged at sea on the Mozambique Channel side, in the north-west of Madagascar, weakening notably, according to Météo France and Météo Madagascar. It is projected to pass through Madagascar’s inland, again, and exit in the southern area of the Masoala Peninsula, in Sava Region, between tonight and tomorrow morning (29 March). Although it is unlikely to regain strength, it is projected to move towards the Mascarene lslands. Madagascar has downgraded the cyclonic alert to a “blue” or post-cyclone vigilance alert level, for the regions of Diana (north), Sava, Analanjirofo (north-east) and Ambatosoa (in Haute Matsiatra Region, Grand Sud-Est), with a risk of moderate and heavy rains along the centre north-east coast, and Diana.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Humanitarian partners are working with authorities to scale-up response. However, the available pre-positioned stock supplies in the north-east region are limited, while some sectors do not have stocks on site, including food security partners. The affected region is far from the capital, Antananarivo (a three-days trip by road in normal time) and the road connecting the capital to the north-east region is currently cut-off due to the rains. Stocks can be transferred from other locations by air or sea from Toamasina City, eastern coast. The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) members have been asked to mobilize their emergency stocks from other cities to be ready for transfer either by sea or by air. OCHA will join an aerial assessment mission on 29 March to assess the impact. This will be followed by a multi-sectoral rapid assessment, based on damage scale and once the meteorological conditions have improved.