First 2024 Cyclone Hits Madagascar

January 6, 2024

Tropical Cyclone Alvaro made landfall in southwest Madagascar on January 1st 2024, becoming the first cyclone to impact the island nation in the ongoing 2023-2024 cyclone season for the southwest Indian Ocean region spanning late October to May.

Impact of Current Cyclone Alvaro

According to latest data, Cyclone Alvaro has affected over 16,100 people so far with at least 5 reported dead and 8400 displaced in the southern African country known for vanilla and lemur populations. The actual death toll could likely be higher.

Recent Cyclones Hitting Madagascar

Prone to violent storms, Madagascar was struck by Cyclone Cheneso in January 2023 hitting the northeast and impacting over 90,000 residents. Last February, Cyclone Freddy made landfall on the southeast coast leading to 17 fatalities and 19,000 displacements.

Alvaro’s Strikes Vulnerable Regions

Cyclone Alvaro has hit provinces like Atsimo-Andrefana in southwestern Madagascar which face immense flooding challenges during heavy rains, hampering evacuation and drainage towards the sea.

Underscores Need for Early Warning and Preparedness

Experts say the disaster demonstrates Madagascar’s vulnerability to climate shocks despite investments made in systems for forecasting and alerts after previous cyclones. Early warning advancements haven’t translated sufficiently into community-level preparedness.

International Collaboration to Boost Resilience

An intergovernmental project ‘REPRESA’ launched across southern African countries in 2023 aims to enhance regional resilience through improved cyclone readiness among communities frequently hit by storms. The initiative led by universities from the UK, Mozambique and South Africa involves working with vulnerable Madagascar communities to build local capabilities around flooding alerts and action.

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