Severe floods claim 11 lives in Madagascar
At least 11 people have died in severe flooding that has affected parts of Madagascar, including the Analamanga region, over the past two weeks. Rising river levels since February 15, 2025, have led to widespread inundation, prompting school closures and emergency rescues in the affected areas.
Flooding along the Sisaony river in Madagascar on February 15, 2025. Image credit: CIRGN Antananarivo
Severe flooding hit parts of Madagascar following heavy rainfall through mid-February, triggering Red Flood Warnings across affected regions. Latest reports indicate at least 11 fatalities in the Analamanga region.
Analamanga, Itasy, Vakinankaratra, and Amoron’i Mania were among the worst affected areas. Visuals shared online showed the affected regions submerged in murky waters due to the intense rainfall, with 40–90 mm reported in some areas in the 24 hours leading up to February 17.
By February 18, water levels in several rivers had reached flood levels. The Sisaony River rose to 2.8–3.3 m between February 17 and 18, while the Ikopa River rose from 3.41 m to 3.61 m in the same period.
Floods had been affecting much of the region since the previous week, with flooding along the Sisaony River being reported since February 15, prompting water rescued by local authorities in the affected areas along the river.
The rising water levels led to severe flooding across the region, causing school closures on February 17 and 18 as rising water levels led to river flooding in the region.
Schools were scheduled to reopen on February 19 but remained closed due to continued flooding. They reopened in parts of the region on February 22 as flood waters began to subside.
Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.
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