Disasters in Madagascar

Madagascar’s main disaster risks are cyclones and tropical storms, heavy rain, river floods and chronic drought. The East, Northeast and North coasts face especially high cyclone exposure, while the Grand Sud and Southwest experience persistent drought. Flooding and landslides affect the central highlands and urban areas. Storm surge, coastal waves and bush fires are also relevant. Locust invasions, tsunamis, earthquakes, maritime or aviation accidents, marine pollution and industrial or mining accidents occur more locally or episodically. Epidemics and health emergencies belong primarily to health services, environmental damage to nature protection, and intentional violence or offences to crime services. Madagascar has a formal disaster-management system under the national GRC framework. GRC means Gestion des Risques et des Catastrophes, or disaster risk management, while RRC means Réduction des Risques de Catastrophe, or disaster risk reduction. The CNGRC provides strategic national coordination. BNGRC leads operational coordination, preparedness, emergency relief, humanitarian response and recovery. CPGU provides technical support to the Primature, and CNCOU, the Centre National de Coordination des Opérations d’Urgence, coordinates emergency operations. Météo Madagascar and the Direction Générale de la Météorologie monitor hazards, issue forecasts and publish warnings. The Ministère chargé de l’Intérieur, regional and district authorities, Préfectures, Communes and Fokontany activate local measures, report conditions and implement instructions. Loi 2015-031, promulgated on 12 February 2016, treats disaster risk management as a responsibility of the State and Collectivités Territoriales Décentralisées. National and territorial contingency plans must include warning arrangements. The territorial Représentant de l’Etat activates local alert and intervention plans. Public budgets, a state contingency fund, special grants, donations and cooperation mechanisms support the system, but the reviewed sources do not establish a general individual right to compensation. Cyclone warnings use several levels. Alerte Verte can provide about two to five days of advance notice when a threat is being monitored. Alerte Jaune generally indicates a threat within 24 to 48 hours. Alerte Rouge indicates an immediate or ongoing danger, often around 12 hours before impact. Alerte Bleue is used after a cyclone, but it does not automatically mean that all danger has ended. Météo Madagascar may also issue vigilance météorologique for heavy rain, strong winds, high waves or flooding. Warning lead times vary by hazard, and an avis de menace may be brief or absent. Households should follow official bulletins through radio, television and local authorities, secure water, food, lighting, medicines and documents, reinforce openings, protect livestock and pirogues, stop maritime activities and leave homes near exposed shores when instructed. During Alerte Rouge, people should remain indoors in a secure building, avoid unnecessary movement, follow local instructions and disconnect electricity when appropriate. After the alert, avoid damaged buildings, trees, power lines and swollen waterways, and keep access open for rescue teams. BNGRC, CNCOU, local authorities and partners such as NGOs, UN agencies and the Red Cross coordinate assessments, emergency aid, accommodation sites, food, non-food items, logistics and restoration. Access depends on local damage, needs and transport conditions. Evacuation sites and accommodation are activated locally; no single national list of sites or standard accommodation payment is established in the reviewed evidence. The free BNGRC number 930 operates 24 hours a day for urgent information, verified community complaints and reports about cyclones, floods, drought, landslides and other potential dangers. Calls to 034 05 480 68 or 034 05 480 69 are chargeable. The 930 line should be used for real emergencies rather than general or false reports. Recovery normally moves from damage and needs assessment to emergency relief, early recovery, rehabilitation and resilient reconstruction. Cyclones, floods and landslides can damage roads, bridges, drainage, ports, airports and utilities. Madagascar’s limited transport redundancy means that failure of less than 20% of network links can cause about 80% functional loss in some modeled conditions. World Bank programs have supported bridges on RN6 and RN5a, reserve modular bridges and emergency financing for cyclone-damaged RN4, RN6 and Port Mahajanga. These programs support infrastructure recovery and do not create an automatic personal benefit. The World Bank has recorded 35 cyclones, eight floods and five severe droughts over the last 20 years; these figures and modeled annual losses above USD 100 million are indicative risk estimates, not a current damage count.