Madagascar Cyclones: 400,000 Face Crisis – UN Calls for Aid

Madagascar Faces Escalating Humanitarian Crisis After Back-to-Back Cyclones

Some 400,000 people in Madagascar are facing acute humanitarian needs following the successive impacts of Tropical Cyclone Fytia and Cyclone Gezani within the span of three weeks, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

Cyclone Gezani made landfall in Toamasina, Madagascar’s second-largest city, on Tuesday evening, February 10, 2026, bringing wind gusts reaching up to 250 kilometers per hour (approximately 155 mph). The storm has left a trail of devastation, with approximately 80 percent of the city sustaining damage.

“The scale of the destruction is really overwhelming,” stated Tania Goossens, WFP Country Director, after returning from a mission to Toamasina. She described a city struggling with basic services, “running on roughly five per cent electricity at the moment,” and facing a complete lack of access to clean water.

As of Friday, February 13, 2026, authorities have reported 38 deaths and 374 injuries as a direct result of Cyclone Gezani. This comes just ten days after Tropical Cyclone Fytia caused 14 fatalities and displaced over 31,000 people.

The impact extends beyond immediate casualties. WFP’s own warehouse and office in Toamasina were completely destroyed during the cyclone, hindering the organization’s ability to respond. Families are reportedly left with nothing, seeking shelter in damaged homes or temporary sites, and facing uncertainty about their next meal.

Goossens highlighted growing concerns about water, sanitation, and hygiene, warning that the lack of clean water and damaged infrastructure could lead to disease outbreaks. She also emphasized “rising protection concerns for vulnerable groups,” including women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

WFP had proactively provided cash assistance to vulnerable households in anticipation of the storms, allowing them to purchase food and prepare for the impending weather. Now, the agency is mobilizing its remaining food stocks for distribution in coordination with national disaster relief teams.

However, the current needs significantly exceed WFP’s available resources. The agency is urgently appealing for donor support to address the escalating crisis. “We will need… sustained support over the coming months to help people recover, to rebuild and strengthen their resilience against further shocks,” Goossens said.

The disaster unfolds against a backdrop of existing food insecurity in Madagascar. Prior to the cyclones, approximately 1.57 million people across the country were already facing food insecurity, including 84,000 experiencing emergency levels of hunger, according to data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

Goossens warned of a $18 million funding gap for both the lean season response and the cyclone recovery efforts over the next six months. She also noted that Madagascar is still at the beginning of the cyclone season, raising fears of further devastation.

The situation is further complicated by disruptions to food supply chains, fuel transport, and access to medical care, as major roads have been blocked by uprooted trees, and debris. Residents are struggling to obtain essential supplies, and the overall outlook remains grim.