The death toll from Cyclone Batsirai in Madagascar rose to 120 on Friday as tens of thousands of people needed shelter after their homes were destroyed.
The national disaster relief agency said 87 of the deaths occurred in one area: the Ikongo district in southeastern Madagascar. It said earlier this week that it was still gathering details about what happened in Ikongo.
The latest update increases the death toll from the 111 reported earlier Friday.
The agency said the cyclone left about 124,000 people with their homes damaged or destroyed, and some 30,000 others displaced and camped at 108 sites.
The cyclone hit the Indian Ocean island late Saturday, slamming into the southeast coast before receding late Sunday.
Batsirai was Madagascar’s second destructive storm in two weeks, following Tropical Storm Ana, which killed at least 38 people.
The German private aid organization Welthungerhilfe said it could take up to five more days to reach all affected villages from Batsirai because of road closures caused by the landslides. Residents of the communities are still trapped by high water.
Rescue teams from Germany, France and other countries are supporting local efforts.
Two weeks ago, Tropical Storm Ana caused severe damage in Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The island nation of Madagascar, with a population of nearly 30 million, was already experiencing food shortages in the south as a result of severe and prolonged drought.
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