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MADAGASCAR: Cyclone Ivan kills at least 44 pe...
Duration: 4:36Source: ITN Source
Cyclone Ivan killed at least 44 people on Madagascar and the death toll is expected to rise while 145,000 residents were displaced, government officials say. Ivan, one of the largest cyclones ever to hit Madagascar, was packing winds of more than 125 mph (200 kph) when it hit the Indian Ocean island's east coast. It is also expected to bring heavy rains to flood-stricken Mozambique. "We went higher up and didn¹t come back until the water level had dropped. my house was damaged, people lost theirs. I must rebuild but really the first thing I thought about was food not my things. There is no rice left," said a local resident Bodo Andrianahalo. About 5,000 people in Madagascar are still in need of aid as a result of another cyclone, Fame, that hit the storm-prone island in late January and killed at least 12 people. Businesses were not spared either as most of the hotels were damaged and the owners were counting losses not sure whether tourists would be returning anytime soon. "Lots of hotels have been affected," said hotel owner Aina Lavonge. "I don¹t know how the tourist industry will reclaim its status here; financially, we don't know if we have the means." Madagascar's rainy season lasts from February to May. Last year, six cyclones hit the island, killing at least 150 people. The government has moved forward and is assisting the victims with health needs that may be required. "We must accelerate vaccinations against chicken pox and also dehydration, for example we have to put chlorine in the water and ensure that we protect the water supplies," said Deputy Health Minister Doctor Marie Perline Rahantanirina. In Mozambique, Ivan is expected to worsen flooding that has already engulfed parts of the southern African country. Flooding has forced thousands of villagers from their homes in Mozambique in recent weeks. "We still have a lot of rain on Madagascar, which is making the situation worse. Then we have a depression also in the Indian Ocean, which is not forecasted to become a cyclone, but in this season you never know so within the next days we have to very quickly replenish our pre-positioned stock to be able to quickly be prepared for another cyclone the next weeks," said UNICEF emergency specialist, Eduaed Libeau. Scientists say rising sea temperatures linked to climate change are likely to increase the frequency and intensity of cyclones in the tropics over the coming decades, and some suspect they have already
Rating: (1 ratings) Views: 62 Added: Apr 9, 2008
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Copyright: GRAPHIC / REUTERS
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