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Madagascar cyclone killed 29: official Antananarivo (AFP) Feb 22, 2008 A cyclone which swept across Madagascar this week killed at least 29 people and left nearly 70,000 homeless or otherwise affected, local authorities said Friday. Dia Stivanley, spokeswoman for the National Office for Management of Risks and Catastrophes (BNGRC), said 12 of the island's 22 regions had been hit by cyclone Ivan, a category three storm, notably the rice-producing area of Alaotra Mangoro, 150 kilometres (95 miles) northeast of the capital Antananarivo. Nineteen of the 29 deaths occurred in that region and 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) of rice fields were flooded. Emergency services were hampered by breaks in telephone and road links in some areas, the BNGRC said. Ivan, with winds gusting up to 230 kilometres an hour, struck eastern Madagascar on February 17. It was the most destructive yet of the current cyclone season after Fame, which killed 13 people last month. The country's foreign minister, Marcel Ranjeva, said preventive measures had been taken but "unfortunately the cyclones have been of such intensity our measures have been limited, and after exhausting our resources, we have asked for help from friendly countries and international organisations," he said. "If no action is taken, the situation will get worse, especially regarding public health," he added. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters When the Earth Quakes A world of storm and tempest
The Key To Quieter Atlantic Hurricane Seasons May Be Blowing In The Wind Madison WI (SPX) Feb 18, 2008 Every year, storms over West Africa disturb millions of tons of dust and strong winds carry those particles into the skies over the Atlantic. According to a recent study led by University of Wisconsin-Madison atmospheric scientists, this dust from Africa directly affects ocean temperature, a key ingredient in Atlantic hurricane development. |
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