Cyclone Kenisy adds to island's woes

Still in the throes of a protracted political crisis, Madagascar has had the added misfortune of unseasonable storms which have battered the island leaving thousands without electricity and fresh water.

Aid agencies on Thursday said that cyclone Kenisy passed over northern Madagascar last week, causing extensive damage and flooding the island's main commercial port, Tamatave. Although the number of deaths have not been confirmed, officials put the death toll at 13.

Two people were swept away by flood waters in the town of Fenerive, around 100 km north of Tamatave.

Aid agency reports said Tamatave was still knee-deep in water and without electricity leaving the city's 165,000 inhabitants without drinking water.

Health authorities in the country said they feared the emergence of epidemics.

"Two days from now, the impact of the storms will be felt, notably an increase in respiratory diseases, diarrhoea and malaria, because of the stagnant water," warned Dr Herve Bonnet

The provinces of Mahajanga and Antsiranana were also affected by heavy rains. Mudslides cut off several roads and rivers burst their banks.

But the UN Development Programme in Antananarivo told IRIN that the damage was not as severe as expected.

"Although the assessment is not complete, some areas are worse off than others. Some telephone lines have been cut because of the rains which is making it difficult for us to get information from our people on the ground," one aid worker told IRIN.

In 2000, more than 160 Madagascans were killed and tens of thousands driven from their homes by cyclones Eline and Gloria. Last March, intense tropical cyclone Harry skirted the northeast coastline, centre of the island's lucrative vanilla industry.