Two separate tropical weather systems in Madagascar have left at least 34 dead and triggered flooding and landslides, particularly in Antananarivo, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Tuesday.

Over the last week, intense rainfall has pummelled the African island country in the Indian Ocean, sparking multiple crises across the country’s central Analamanga region.

“The government, municipal authorities in Antananarivo and humanitarians are mobilising assistance to people impacted by flooding in the capital,” OCHA tweeted, saying that “providing access to water, food and other vital items in displacement sites is the top priority.”

The rains were initially driven by an Intertropical Convergence Zone around the equator on January 17 and increased when a Tropical Depression, or cyclone, made landfall in the east of the country some three days later, exiting the other side of the island the following day.

Twenty-four lives were lost over the weekend, mostly in the capital where traditional houses collapsed, and others were swept away by landslides.

According to authorities, over 62,000 people have been affected in seven regions, including more than 58,000 in the Analamanga Region and its surrounding metropolitan area.

Meanwhile, over 6,800 houses are under water, and many others are at risk of flooding or collapsing.

According to the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management, more than 35,260 people have been forced to take shelter in 62 displacement sites established by the authorities.

OCHA said nearly 27,000 people were displaced or evacuated last weekend alone, adding that the government continues to carry out preventive evacuations in Antananarivo, which is on red alert for further flooding.

(NAN)