Tropical storm in Madagascar: At least 25 dead, roads flooded and crops destroyed

Two dozen Madagascans have died and tens of thousands been left homeless since a severe tropical storm made landfall last week and swirled for days off the island's western coast, official records showed Sunday.

Cyclone Cheneso smashed into northeastern Madagascar 10 days ago, bringing heavy winds and triggering downpours that have caused extensive flooding.

Over the week it has tracked south-eastwards, extending damage to houses, schools and cutting off several national roads.

Twenty-five people are now known to have died and 21 others are still missing, according to an update from Madagascar's risk management office.

At least 83,181 people have been affected, with nearly 38,000 displaced from their homes.

Cheneso -- which temporarily intensified to a tropical cyclone in recent days with winds of 118-166 kilometres per hour (73-103 miles per hour) -- "has started to lose its purely tropical characteristic," according to the southwest Indian ocean Regional Specialist Meteorological Centre based in the French overseas island of La Reunion

Storm Cheneso made landfall on January 19, packing winds of up to 110 kilometres per hour.

It is the first tropical storm of the current cyclone season in southern Africa -- which typically runs from November to April -- to hit the cyclone-prone large Indian ocean island.

Indonesia - 5 Killed in North Sulawesi Floods and Landslides

At least five people died after flash floods swept through areas of Manado City in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, on 27 January 2023.

Disaster authorities in the country reported heavy rain and the overflow of the Tondano watershed inundated around 400 homes. Flood waters were up to 3 metres deep in some areas. A total of 1,021 people were displaced in the districts of Tikala, Paal 2, Tuminting, Singkil and Wanang. One person died in the floods and a bridge was severely damaged.

Furthermore heavy rain in the area caused multiple landslides in the area, severely damaging over 50 houses and public buildings. Disaster authorities reported 4 people lost their lives as a result.

The Manado City Government has declared an emergency status.

The Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (Badan Meteorologi Klimatologi dan Geofisika Indonesia - BMKG) reported Sam Ratulangi International Airport, located 13 km northeast of Manado recorded 238 mm of rain in 24 hours to 27 January and 216.7 mm in the following 24 hour period.

Six people died after heavy rain triggered floods and landslides in Manado City on 16 January 2021.

Two people died and at least 155 households were affected by floods and landslides in the city in March 2022.

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Record floods in New Zealand claim at least four lives

Australian disaster relief experts will travel to New Zealand in the coming days after record floods swamped homes, inundated Auckland Airport, and claimed at least four lives.

Up to fifty centimetres of snow in the Tramuntana Mountains

© G. R. V.
Snow at the Cúber reservoir.

On Sunday morning, the met agency Aemet reported there having been up to fifty centimetres of snow over a 24-hour period at 1,200 metres in the Tramuntana Mountains.

In its 9am update, Aemet added that there had been 15 centimetres at 800 metres. The Council of Mallorca's roads department issued advice that the MA-10 between kilometre 29 and 45 (Sa Calobra-Ses Barques mirador) was still blocked.

The amber alert for heavy snow in the mountains will cease to be active from 10am on Sunday. However, the forecast for the mountains (in Escorca) for the rest of the day is for a high probability of precipitation with snow falling at 900 metres.