At least 31 dead as Tropical Cyclone Gezani ravages 80% of Toamasina, Madagascar
February 11, 2026
Tropical Cyclone Gezani has killed at least 31 people since it made landfall near Toamasina, on the eastern coast of Madagascar, on February 10, 2026, damaging and destroying around 80% of the city. Around three dozen were injured, with multiple still missing as recovery operations continue across the island.
At least 31 people have been reported dead since Tropical Cyclone Gezani made landfall over eastern Madagascar near Toamasina, a city with an estimated urban population of about 575 000, at around 19:00 local time (LT) on February 10.
The cyclone’s landfall was likely one of the most intense recorded in the region during the satellite era, rivalling Cyclone Geralda in February 1994. That storm killed at least 200 people and affected half a million more.
At the time of landfall, maximum 10-minute sustained winds were estimated at around 175 km/h (109 mph), with a minimum central pressure near 955 hPa.
The destructive winds ripped through multiple homes and structures across Toamasina, leaving at least 29 dead in the city alone, while two others were reported dead in neighboring districts, reported the state disaster response agency (BNGRC).
At least 36 others have been injured, while four remain missing as of February 11. Meanwhile, power has been out across the city since February 10.
Residents in and around Toamasina described scenes of chaos as the cyclone made landfall. “I have never experienced winds this violent … The doors and windows are made of metal, but they are being violently shaken,” said resident Harimanga Ranaivo.
“It’s monstrous. Everything is devastated; roofs have been blown off, floors are flooded, and the walls of solid houses have collapsed,” a resident of Toamasina told AFP by telephone when communications briefly returned.
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, the President of the Refoundation of the Republic, accompanied by several government officials, visited Toamasina to see firsthand the extent of the damage caused by the disaster.
The delegation included the Minister of the Interior and Decentralization, the Minister of Population and Solidarity, the Minister of Transport and Meteorology, the Deputy President of the National Assembly for the Toamasina region, the Director General of the BNGRC, and parliamentarians representing the city of Toamasina.
According to BNGRC, around 80% of the city’s infrastructure had been damaged or destroyed. The cyclone’s aftermath displaced another 6 870 people, while a total of 250 406 were classified as disaster victims, the BNGRC said.
The Madagascar Ministry of Public Works has suspended traffic on several major national highways due to widespread flooding.
Authorities reported active flooding along RN2 between Ambodibonara and Fanandratra, approximately 30 km before Toamasina at PK 339 near Tetezana Ampasimbola.
