At least 3 dead after cyclone leaves trail of devastation in Madagascar

Three people were reported dead in southeastern Madagascar on Sunday after cyclone Batsirai made landfall, leaving a trail of devastation including collapsed buildings, power cuts and flooding.

One of the towns badly affected was Nosy Varika on the coast. Most of its buildings were destroyed and the town was cut off from the surrounding area due to flooding, an official said.

Batsirai swept inland late on Saturday, slamming into Madagascar’s eastern coastline with heavy rains and wind speeds of 165 km/h. It was projected it could displace as many as 150,000 people.

The damage from the storm system is compounding the