Cyclone Fytia Leaves One Dead and Displaces Thousands in Madagascar
Storm displaces thousands and floods communities as Madagascar faces its fifth major cyclone since September 2025
- Cyclone Fytia killed one person in Antananarivo, and rescue teams are searching for a missing individual near Majunga
- The storm disrupted the lives of 22,000 residents, with over 8,400 evacuated to emergency shelters or relatives’ homes
- Fytia is the fifth major storm since September 2025
A powerful tropical cyclone swept across Madagascar this past weekend, claiming one life and displacing thousands of residents.
Cyclone Fytia hit the island’s northwestern coast early Saturday, bringing wind gusts of up to 210 km/h. The storm caused a residential building to collapse in Antananarivo, resulting in one confirmed fatality.
Rescue teams are searching near Majunga for a person reportedly swept away by a rain-swollen river.
Disaster management authorities report that the storm upended the lives of 22,000 people, with over 8,400 evacuated to emergency shelters or relatives’ homes as floodwaters surged.
The national meteorological agency noted that Fytia is the fifth major tropical storm to hit Madagascar since September 2025. Although it weakened into a tropical storm before leaving on Sunday, it left flooded landscapes, damaged infrastructure, and widespread disruption in its wake.
Authorities have launched recovery operations, while meteorologists warn that the cyclone season remains active and may continue until late March or April.
