A powerful tropical cyclone hit Madagascar over the weekend, bringing violent winds and torrential rain. The storm has killed at least seven people and forced thousands to flee their homes.
Tropical Cyclone Fitia brought 90 mph winds to the island nation and nearly 6 inches of rain in the worst-hit areas, The Guardian reported. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said “more than 20,000 people have been displaced.” “Access to the worst-hit areas remains severely restricted.”
The storm rapidly intensified, with wind speeds rapidly climbing from 45 mph to 115 mph in just 24 hours. On Saturday, the storm brought stronger wind gusts of up to 130 mph. Phetia weakened into a tropical storm as it swept through Madagascar.
“The Meteorological and Disaster Monitoring System classifies the hurricane as having moderate humanitarian impact potential, taking into account population exposure, potential vulnerability, and hazard intensity,” ReliefWeb’s report on the storm states. “Forecast models indicate that rainfall totals continue to increase in parts of the country, with ongoing impacts likely as the system moves away from land.”
The United Nations ranks Madagascar as the fourth most vulnerable country in the world to the effects of an overheating planet.
“As a result of climate change, the country is regularly hit by droughts and hurricanes, which are increasing in frequency, duration and intensity,” the UN report said. “These impacts mainly affect the south and southeast of the country. Building the resilience of individuals, communities and institutions to the impacts of drought and hurricanes, including through adaptation to climate change, is the only sustainable solution.”
UNICEF warned in a report released in November that “the climate crisis is also a crisis for children’s rights.” By 2050, an estimated 28 million children will face acute malnutrition without urgent intervention, the report said.
The report’s authors note that “the consequences begin at birth: for every degree of global warming, the risk of premature birth or stillbirth increases by 5%.” “The climate crisis is therefore not a distant problem but a direct threat to the lives, health and well-being of children.”
In addition to the threat of tropical cyclones, Madagascar also faces an increasing risk of deadly heatwaves. A report from the World Meteorological Organization warns that global temperatures are expected to remain at or near record highs over the next five years. The report also states that as the world continues to warm, we can continue to expect more extreme climate events.
“Southern Madagascar is particularly vulnerable to heatwaves, as food and agricultural systems can collapse under high temperatures, drought conditions and frequent, highly destructive cyclones,” said the World Weather Attribution researchers. They also noted that heatwaves are severely underreported in sub-Saharan Africa, leaving many people unaware of the risks. Without targeted adaptation investments, heat-related deaths could quadruple by 2080.
Scientists have linked the ongoing drought in southern Madagascar to climate change, as rising global temperatures exacerbate the El Niño phenomenon. Shorter, delayed rainy seasons threaten food security, prompting calls for adaptation measures such as drought-resistant crops.
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