9 dead, 1 400 left homeless as Tropical Cyclone “Belna” makes landfall in Madagascar

Tropical Cyclone "Belna" made a devastating landfall in northern Madagascar at 12:00 UTC on Monday, December 9, 2019, with maximum sustained winds of 149 km/h (90 mph) and bursts of rapid intensification prior to reaching the coast. At least nine were killed by floods, three others are missing, and more than 1 400 were left homeless from the first tropical storm of the season.
Belna blew into the western town of Soalala where houses were partially or totally damaged. Floods also engulfed the residential properties, according to Col. Elack Olivier Andiakaja of the national catastrophe management office on Tuesday, December 10.
Displaced people found temporary refuge in primary schools, mosques, and district offices. Andriakaja emphasized that the affected residents were in need of assistance, particularly food.
Among the fatalities were a child and a senior who were both not able to escape floodwaters after a dike collapsed, Andriakaja said.
Many government administrative establishments, as well as roads, have also sustained damages.
Emergency food rations will be delivered to Soalala by sea, officials assured. Moreover, Madagascar's Prime Minister Christian Ntsay will also fly to the town to assess the damage.
Image credit: Klady Rad
Image credit: Klady Rad
Image credit: Klady Rad
Image credit: Klady Rad
Around 80% of the town's homes and government offices had their roofs swept away by strong winds, said Soalala's member of parliament Naina Randriamisa. She added that water is rising across the city.
As Belna traveled south on the island, it has been downgraded to a tropical storm. However, heavy rains and winds are expected to continue through Wednesday, December 11. The meteorology department forecasted that the cyclone should die down by then.
Featured image credit: Rindra Ryan
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Related articles
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.