Fourth tropical cyclone in a month to slam into Madagascar

Madagascar is bracing for its fourth tropical cyclone in as many weeks, prompting UN aid agencies on Tuesday to appeal for $26 million in funding to help the most vulnerable.

Tropical cyclone Emnati is due to make landfall in the south of the island nation on Tuesday at around 1800 hours GMT on Madagascar’s east coast, but central and southern areas are also likely to be affected.

Although it is the typhoon season in the Indian Ocean, it is rare to see four storms hitting the same country in the space of four weeks, said Clare Nullis from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “The expected intensity at landfall is tropical cyclone category 2 equivalent. We had been concerned yesterday that it might strengthen to a strong category 3 or even 4. That fortunately didn't happen. But even so, the winds are going to be very high, there have been high winds, destructive gusts of between 150 to 200 kilometres an hour, and it's a big storm, so these winds are going to cover a large radius.”

In late January, Tropical Storm Ana hit the Indian Ocean island. Emnati is expected to follow nearly the same track as Batsirai, that caused 121 fatalities and displaced an estimated 143,000 people on 5 February. More than 21,000 people are still displaced and a further 5,000 people were affected by tropical storm Dumako which struck on 15 February. An estimated 20,500 homes have been destroyed, flooded or damaged in the last four weeks.

“We’re in a race against time to protect those who dealt with the fury of the first three extreme weather events from the impact of emergency response teams have been deployed earlier to support the government led response,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA. “Some $26 million will be required to support the Batsirai response over the next three months, but requirements are likely to rise further based on the impact of this new and dangerous emergency cyclone.”

Ahead of the storm, the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund allocated $2.5 million to ramp up humanitarian aid and boost assistance, provide emergency healthcare, shelter and water purification supplies.

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SHOTLIST

1. Exterior wide shot, United Nations Palace of Nations, Geneva. UN flag flying.
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3. SOUNDBITE (English): Claire Nullis, spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “The expected intensity at landfall is tropical cyclone category 2 equivalent. We had been concerned yesterday that it might strengthen to a strong category 3 or even 4. That fortunately didn't happen. But even so, the winds are going to be very high, there have been high winds, destructive gusts of between 150 to 200 kilometres an hour, and it's a big storm, so these winds are going to cover a large radius.”
4. Medium shot, TV screen showing podium speakers in foreground with podium speakers in rear.
5. SOUNDBITE (English): Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA): “Madagascar is set to be hit this evening, local time by the fourth extreme weather events in as many weeks with Tropical Cyclone Emnati likely to add to the damage already caused earlier by Tropical Cyclone Batsirai, Tropical Storm Dumako and Tropical Storm Anna. An estimated 270,000 people were affected by Batsirai, which struck central Madagascar on the 5th of February after Anna hit in late January. So, 21,000 people remain displaced and 20,500 homes were destroyed, flooded or damaged from that event.”
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7. SOUNDBITE (English): Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA): “We are in a race against time to protect those who dealt with the fury of the first three extreme weather events from the impact of Emnati. Response teams have been deployed earlier to support the government-led response.”
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9. SOUNDBITE (English): Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA): “Some $26 million will be required to support the Batsirai response over the coming three months. But requirements are likely to rise further based on the impact of this new and dangerous Emnati cyclone.”
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