In Pics | Cyclone Batsirai wreaks havoc in Madagascar; Six people killed, thousands displaced

Cyclone Batsirai struck Madagascar

At least six people were killed and nearly 48,000 were displaced after Cyclone Batsirai struck Madagascar overnight. The cyclone wreaked havoc in the Indian ocean island nation which has not yet recovered from a deadly tropical storm earlier this year.

(Photograph:AFP)

Trees uprooted, buildings destroyed

Madagascar's meteorological office on Sunday said that the rain will lead to flooding across the country. 

This comes in as the eastern district of Mananjary was hit by severe rains and wind before the cyclone made landfall, uprooting trees and destroying buildings. 

(Photograph:AFP)

'Intense tropical cyclone'

Faly Aritiana Fabien from the disaster management agency while speaking to AFP said that Batsirai made landfall in Mananjary on Saturday night as an "intense tropical cyclone."

The cyclone's average wind speed had almost halved in a matter of few hours.

(Photograph:AFP)

Almost entire town ravaged

In Mananjary, which happens to be the epicentre of the cyclone, residents estimated that most of the town was ravaged.

"Mananjary is completely destroyed, no matter where you go everything is destroyed," said one resident. 

Another resident was certain "almost 95 per cent of the city has been destroyed. We implore the state to come and help us as soon as possible".

(Photograph:AFP)

Impact of global warming

Southern parts of Madagascar are suffering through the worst drought in four decades.

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa told a summit of African leaders that the continent was "experiencing the worst impacts of phenomena associated with global warming such as droughts, floods and cyclones". 

"Despite not being responsible for causing climate change, it is Africans who are bearing both the brunt and the cost," he said.

(Photograph:AFP)