Cyclone Recovery

Cyclone Gezani's landfall is likely the most intense recorded impact to Toamasina in the satellite era with winds reaching 250 km/hour (155 mph). "It's total chaos, 90% of house roofs have been blown off, entirely or in part." Rija Randrianarisoa, Head of Disaster Management at the Action Against Hunger aid agency.

We are still assessing and clearing debris, but at least 17 animal enclosures have been destroyed at Parc Ivoloina and many of the homes at the Betampona Research Station are devastated. Much of other general infrastructure has been leveled or badly damaged. Thankfully, as far as we have been able to ascertain so far, all of our team are safe,  but many of them have lost their homes and their belongings. The MFG is opening its office in Toamasina and the Ivoloina Conservation Training Centre as a temporary housing and is working towards sourcing basic necessities for the team and the animals at the Parc.