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Most Recent Disaster Declaration:
Cyclone, 02-22-2011
On February 14, Tropical Cyclone Bingiza made landfall on the northeast coast of Madagascar as a Category Three storm, with wind speeds of nearly 95 mph. The storm continued westward and struck the southwest coast on February 17. Tropical Cyclone Bingiza caused heavy rains and flooding in Antalaha, Mananara, Mandritsara, and Mahajanga districts in the north, as well as Farafangana and Vangaindrano districts in the south. As of February 19, the Madagascar National Bureau of Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC) reported that the cyclone had affected nearly 80,000 people, caused 14 deaths, displaced more than 19,000 people, and damaged or destroyed nearly 18,000 houses and approximately 8,700 hectares of rice fields throughout Madagascar. In addition, BNGRC and humanitarian agencies reported that damage to transportation infrastructure may hamper the delivery of emergency relief supplies, particularly in remote areas.
On February 22, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Eric W. Stromayer declared a disaster due to the effects of Tropical Cyclone Bingiza. In response, USAID/OFDA provided $50,000 through USAID/Madagascar to CARE and Medair for infrastructure rehabilitation and distribution of disaster relief supplies.
Additional Disaster Declarations:
Locust Outbreak, 10-06-2010
In May 2010, locust swarms began appearing in southern Madagascar, and the U.S. Embassy in Antananarivo reported that locusts had started to spread beyond typical distribution areas in the south by August. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the locust outbreak threatened to damage 1.2 million acres of crops and negatively affect the livelihoods of more than 460,000 subsistence farming households, or 2.3 million people, residing in drought-prone and food-insecure areas. To prevent rapid locust reproduction and associated increases in food insecurity during the October to April rainy season, FAO—in conjunction with the Government of Madagascar’s National Anti-Locust Center— launched a response program to mobilize locust surveillance and control teams, begin rehabilitation of agricultural land, and monitor and mitigate the potential effects of control operations on local environments and local populations’ health.
On October 6, 2010, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Glenn Fedzer declared a disaster due to the effects of the locust outbreak. In response, USAID/OFDA provided $2 million to support the FAO response program.
Cyclone, 03-17-2010
On March 10, 2010, Tropical Cyclone Hubert struck the southeast coast of Madagascar as a Category Two storm, with winds of more than 100 mph. The cyclone made landfall in Mananjary District, Vatovavy Fitovinany Region, and severely affected several other districts in coastal and inland areas. The cyclone and resulting heavy rains and floods killed 53 people, displaced more than 38,000 others, and affected a total of more than 97,000 people, according to the Government of Madagascar (GoM). In addition, the cyclone damaged or destroyed more than 4,300 houses and nearly 60 public buildings and flooded nearly 50,000 hectares of farmland. Floods also severely damaged roads and bridges, limiting access to some affected areas and hindering transportation of relief commodities and GoM evacuations of displaced people. Relief agency and U.N. aerial assessments, including a USAID/OFDA-funded assessment by implementing partner CARE, confirmed the widespread extent of cyclone damages. The GoM and relief agencies distributed emergency relief supplies to affected populations but noted the need for shelter interventions; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) activities to prevent the spread of disease; and distribution of emergency food assistance due to the likelihood of poor harvests resulting from crop damage.
On March 17, 2010, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Eric W. Stromayer declared a disaster due to the effects of the cyclone. In response, USAID/OFDA provided $50,000 through USAID/Madagascar for provision of emergency relief supplies to benefit affected populations, including WASH commodities and shelter materials. In addition, CARE distributed 215 USAID/OFDA-funded rolls of plastic sheeting, prepositioned in Madagascar before the cyclone and valued at $75,000, for use in constructing temporary shelter, benefiting more than 10,700 people.
Drought, 10-30-2009
Poor rainfall in early 2009 resulted in severe food insecurity in 45 communes in the Andrefana, Androy and Anosy, and Atsimo regions of southern Madagascar, according to the Government of Madagascar (GoM) National Office for Natural Disasters Preparedness. Starting in January 2009, Madagascar’s political crisis prevented the GoM from monitoring food security conditions and responding effectively. As of March 2009, USAID/OFDA implementing partners noted that households in affected areas had started employing coping strategies, including selling livestock or other assets, to purchase food. In October 2009, the U.S. Embassy in Antananarivo noted that food insecurity continued to affect more than 613,000 people.
On October 30, 2009, U.S. Ambassador R. Niels Marquardt redeclared a disaster due to the effects of the complex emergency and drought. In FY 2009, USAID/OFDA provided more than $227,000 to assess food security and supply agricultural inputs and emergency relief supplies to assist drought-affected populations in Madagascar.
Complex Emergency, 03-25-2009
Beginning in January 2009, violence resulting from a power struggle between the President of Madagascar and the opposition leader and former Antananarivo mayor killed more than 150 people and injured approximately 1,000 others. The political crisis also affected vulnerable urban populations through increased unemployment, rising food prices, and limited government support for public sanitation and social services. According to a preliminary assessment conducted by U.N. agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), more than 50,000 people in Antananarivo were laid off due to the deteriorating socio-economic situation. In addition, the Government of Madagascar’s National Office for Natural Disasters Preparedness reported that unseasonably poor rainfall has resulted in severe food insecurity in 31 communes in the Androy and Anosy regions of southern Madagascar. USAID implementing partners noted that households in affected areas were employing coping strategies, including selling livestock or other assets to purchase food.
On March 25, U.S. Ambassador R. Niels Marquardt declared a disaster due to the impact of the complex emergency. In response, USAID/OFDA provided $50,000 through USAID/Madagascar to a joint group of U.N. agencies and NGOs to conduct an assessment of urban and rural food insecurity and determine if any additional humanitarian assistance is required. USAID/OFDA continued to monitor the situation in coordination with USAID/Madagascar, the U.S. Embassy in Antananarivo, and USAID’s Office of Food for Peace.
Cyclone, 02-03-2009
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A beneficiary of an agricultural recovery program walks through her fields in Madagascar |
On January 20, 2009, Tropical Cyclone Fanele struck the west coast of Madagascar as a Category Three storm, with winds of more than 90 mph. Heavy rains and flooding damaged homes, infrastructure, and agriculture in the western, southwestern, and central regions of the country, particularly in Menabe Region. The cyclone affected approximately 40,400 people, displaced 4,000 individuals, and killed 10 others, according to the U.N and the Madagascar National Office for Natural Disasters Preparedness. In addition, U.S. Embassy staff report that the storm damaged 3,000 hectares of agricultural land and disrupted the ground transportation network in many communities throughout the affected areas.
On February 3, 2009, U.S. Ambassador R. Niels Marquardt declared a disaster due to the effects of the cyclone. In response, USAID/OFDA provided $30,000 through USAID/Madagascar to CARE International for the distribution of USAID/OFDA-supplied plastic sheeting.
For information on additional USAID disaster responses, please see OFDA Annual Reports.
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