Cyclone Gezani: Mozambique and Madagascar Grapple with Devastation
Intense Tropical Cyclone Gezani has left a trail of destruction across Madagascar and Mozambique, resulting in dozens of fatalities, widespread displacement and significant infrastructure damage. The cyclone, which made landfall in Madagascar on February 10, 2026, continues to impact the region as it moves through the Mozambique Channel.
Madagascar Reels from Cyclone’s Impact
Gezani struck Madagascar as a Category 3-equivalent tropical cyclone, with sustained winds reaching 185 km/h (115 mph) and gusts up to 260 km/h (160 mph) [1]. The port city of Toamasina bore the brunt of the storm, experiencing severe damage to buildings and infrastructure. Approximately 75 percent of Toamasina was reportedly destroyed [2].
As of February 15, 2026, at least 41 people have died in Madagascar, and over 427 have been injured. More than 16,000 people have been displaced from their homes [2]. The government has declared a national emergency and estimates the damage at over $142 million [1], [2].
The situation in Toamasina is critical, with limited access to essential services. According to Tania Goosens, the World Food Programme’s (WFP) Madagascar director, the city is operating with only 5 percent of its usual electricity supply, and water access has been disrupted [2]. The WFP’s office and a warehouse were also completely destroyed [2].
Mozambique Faces New Threat
Cyclone Gezani has since moved into Mozambique, impacting the southern coastal province of Inhambane. As of February 15, 2026, at least four deaths have been reported in Mozambique [2]. The storm brought winds of up to 215 km per hour (134 mph) to Inhambane, causing widespread damage.
More than 13,000 people in Mozambique are without power, and water supplies have been cut off in several districts of the city of Inhambane [2]. The country is particularly vulnerable, still recovering from recent severe flooding that affected over 700,000 people and damaged more than 170,000 homes [2].
Regional Context and Climate Change
Gezani is the third tropical cyclone of the 2025–26 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season [1]. Meteorologists note that Mozambique has experienced increasingly frequent weather-related disasters, a trend scientists attribute to climate change [2].
Cyclone Gezani’s Trajectory
As of February 15, 2026, Cyclone Gezani was moving parallel to the southern Mozambique coast [4], no longer posing a direct threat to the country.