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Madagascar cyclone kills 33 as 22 missing

Wednesday, 10 January 2018 4:49 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 10 January 2018 4:49 PM ]

A building with destroyed roof is seen in the aftermath of tropical cyclone Ava in Toamasina, Madagascar, January 5, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

The UN humanitarian agency says the death toll from a cyclone in Madagascar has reached 33.

A statement on Wednesday cites Malagasy authorities and says another 22 people remain missing.

Tropical Cyclone Ava struck the Indian Ocean island over the weekend, causing the evacuation of more than 24,000 people.

The new statement says more than 34,000 children are out of school and road access to some areas in the country's south has been cut off.

The National Office of Risk and Disaster Management deputy chief Major General Rambolarson Charles said the region of Haute Matsiatra, located 400 km (250 miles) south of Antananarivo, was worst affected and that among those killed were eight people from a family who had been at a funeral vigil on Sunday when their house was hit by a landslide.

The National Office of Risk and Disaster Management had earlier on Monday put the dead at least six, and that more than 13,000 people were displaced by the cyclone, while more than 16,000 pupils had classes suspended until Thursday, due to flooding and risk of landslides.

In March 2017, Cyclone Enawo struck Madagascar, killing at least 78 people on its vanilla-producing northeastern coast.

Enawo damaged around 30 percent of the crop in the world's biggest producer, which accounts for nearly half of the world's crop.

(Source: Agencies)

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