Hurricane Ivan

As nobody else appears to take an interest, I'll continue to relay articles from L'Express de Madagascar on the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan. It appears that the final death toll could be much higher than the 10 quoted below, when communications are re-established with areas currently cut off by floods.

Ten deaths and thousands of disaster victims
The legacy left by Hurricane Ivan continues to escalate. Until yesterday, two deaths are reported to Fénérive East and eight in the district of Amparafaravola.
 
Ivan began moving away from the Big Island, but the balance weighs heavily. Until yesterday, ten dead were identified including two at Fénérive East and eight in Amparafaravola according to the report of the national office of risk management and disaster (BNGRC).
David Alexander Robinson, chief Mangoro Alaotra region for its part confirmed that eight people died in the district of Amparafaravola. Three of them have been washed away.
"The people buried beneath the rubble of the hotel Antsara in Sainte-Marie ensued, however, exits safe and sound," says the father of one of the victims.

Enormous damage
The advance BNGRC thousands of disaster victims throughout the island, hundreds of people homeless and enormous material damage. The cyclone damage spread to the south-east of the island. The municipality's urban Farafangana is under water since Monday, following the overflowing of the river Manampatrana.

The region has suffered from the passage of cyclone. Until yesterday, seven districts in the region were unreachable and isolated following the cutoff of sideroads on RN6. In the district of Fandriana, the situation is tragic for children 7 surrounded by the waters ahead of secours. This number could mount in the next few days when the communication in several affected districts will be reinstated. A delegation led by President Ravalomanana visited yesterday in Toamasina, providing help

Prime Minister Charles Rabemananjara accompanied by a few ministers went join Sainte-Marie to assess damage and provide assistance with a value of 100 million ariary

The dikes yield
Antananarivo under water
The dikes broke, causing floods in the capital. Hurricane Ivan has left more than a thousand people affected.
 
The panic was total in the capital yesterday. Around one o'clock in the morning, neighbourhoods along the river from the Ikopa were flooded. This situation has been observed between both Ankadimbahoaka and Anosizato that Andohatapenaka. The same was true in a few towns on the outskirts of fokontany as Fiadanana to Ambohidratrimo and Ampahimanga to Alasora where dikes broke.

At Anosimahavelona, located between Ankadimbahoaka and Anosizato, it took the intervention of firefighters to evacuate Tsaralalàna of the thousand people occupying the buildings erected near the dam of the Ikopa and those on both sides.
"When night fell, the level of water in our house was about 1m. I rushed into the boat with only my clothes and a blanket, "says Isabelle Razafindravao. It was recovered by rescuers around 4 am. Recounting the ordeal she had, endured while waiting for relief, she claims to have seen its poultry, cooking utensils and furniture taken away by the waters.
The statement of the mother was also confirmed by a father. "My concern is how I can continue to live after the catastrophe," he asks. All material on this artisan work tanner was swept away by the river.
The majority of disaster victims claim to have been forced to abandon their belongings in their homes. "Fortunately, the police assured us that law enforcement officials will ensure the safety of our properties," says father.

Yesterday around 15 hours, soldiers fire supported by soldiers from the body of civil protection, equipped with two patrol boats and a metal boat, were able to save about 1200 affected two of whom were injured in a house collapse. "They have been installed temporarily in the parking lot of the gallery at Smart Tanjombato pending the establishment of shelters," says the director of the General Administration and Territorial with the Region Analamanga, Vincent Ravomanana.
Yesterday up to 11 hours, most of the affected landed at the scene had not yet homeless. "Those responsible are slow to provide tents to serve as shelters," complains Rasoarimanana. Arriving at the gallery Smart at 4 am, the mother said to be short of food.
This tragedy would not have, according to the regional leader, have happened if locals had followed the recommendation given by the relevant authorities. "Having been warned by the weather service on the possibility of rising water levels of rivers in the capital within 72 hours from Monday, we have already ordered the immediate evacuation of low-lying areas," he says.
In this sense, a father says he resisted the order out of concern for their property. "Breeder pork and poultry, I did not want to leave my animals," he said. He added that the same thing had happened to him during the hurricane Geralda, there are a dozen years.
Worse, the DAGT raises another problem. "The floods prevailing at the present time were caused by the rupture of the dikes," says he. A Anosimahavelona particular, a breach of about 35m was formed. "The presence of construction on this portion was originally," he says.
In this regard, Vincent Ravomanana projects a consultation with the municipality to settle once and for all this problem. "What surprises me is to see that these buildings, supposed to be illegal, have been recognized and registered," he heard.

A newborn named Ivan Ikopa
Proceeding to the evacuation of sinitrés of Anosimahavelona, firefighters had to be present at the birth of a woman early twenties. "The mother was about to give birth when we arrived in his home," said a soldier from heat. "Fortunately, the birth happened properly," he says. Embedded in the limelight, the woman was transferred in an ambulance fire for Atlantis to the nearest maternity.
On a proposal by the head of the fire brigade of Tsaralalàna, Colonel Jaona Andrianaivo, her parents gave the newborn's name Ivan Ikopa.