[NASA] A Second Cyclone Slams Madagascar

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3. A Second Cyclone Slams Madagascar

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February 10, 2026

For the second time in two weeks, a powerful tropical cyclone struck Madagascar. On January 31,

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battered the remote northwestern coast of the island with destructive winds and torrential rains that displaced thousands of people. Less than two weeks later,

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made a direct hit on one of the island’s largest cities before sweeping past areas that Fytia had just flooded.

The

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(Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s

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satellite captured this image of Gezani as it neared Madagascar on February 10, 2026. At the time, the storm was undergoing

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. Its sustained winds peaked at 200 kilometers (125 miles) per hour before making landfall at Category 3 hurricane strength.

According to meteorologists with the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, the storm developed amid conditions

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to strengthening, including sea surface temperatures above 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit),

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below 20 kilometers (12 miles) per hour, and an unusually moist atmosphere. As the storm passed near Toamasina, Madagascar’s second-largest city, satellites that contribute to NASA’s

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(Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for GPM) product measured rain rates up to

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per hour.

The deluge caused widespread flooding in Toamasina and several other parts of the island.

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from Madagascar’s National Office for Risk and Disaster Management linked the storm to dozens of deaths, hundreds of injuries, and damage to more than 27,000 homes. Reports from news outlets and humanitarian groups described

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in Toamasina, with widespread

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, numerous

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, and a

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.

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January 29, 2026

February 14, 2026

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In this false-color image acquired before the flooding, the Rianila and Rongaronga rivers merge near the town of Brickaville. River water appears dark blue against a bright green background of farmland and savanna forest.

NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin

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In a false-color image acquired after the flooding, waterways appear much wider, and floodwater covers large portions of the landscape west of the two rivers, both north and south of Brickaville.

NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin

January 29, 2026February 14, 2026

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In this false-color image acquired before the flooding, the Rianila and Rongaronga rivers merge near the town of Brickaville. River water appears dark blue against a bright green background of farmland and savanna forest.

NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin

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In a false-color image acquired after the flooding, waterways appear much wider, and floodwater covers large portions of the landscape west of the two rivers, both north and south of Brickaville.

NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin

January 29, 2026

February 14, 2026

Before and After

January 29, 2026 – February 14, 2026

CurtainToggle2-Up

The

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(Operational Land Imager) on

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captured this

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image of severe flooding near Brickaville, just south of Toamasina, on February 14, 2026 (right). For comparison, the left image shows the same area before the storm. Villages and farmland along the Rongaronga River appear particularly hard hit. Crops commonly grown in this area include rice, vanilla, lychees, ****** pepper, cloves, and cinnamon,

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from the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development.

Madagascar is one of the most cyclone-prone countries in Africa, with about

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typically affecting the island each year and

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. The cyclone season generally runs from November through April, with peak activity between January and March.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using MODIS data from NASA 

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 and 

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and Landsat data from the 

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. Story by Adam Voiland.

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February 10, 2026

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January 29, 2026

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February 14, 2026

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References & Resources

• ACAPS (2024)
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  . Accessed February 17, 2026.
• Associated Press (2026, February 12)
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  . Accessed February 17, 2026.
• BNGRC (2026, February 16)
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  . Accessed February 17, 2026.
• BNGRC, via
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  (2026)
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  . Accessed February 17, 2026.
• CIMSS Satellite Blog (2026, February 10)
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  . Accessed February 17, 2026.
• France24 (2026, February 11)
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  . Accessed February 17, 2026.
• Global Disaster Awareness and Coordination System (2026, February 17)
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  . Accessed February 17, 2026.
• NASA Earthdata
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  . Accessed February 17, 2026.
• The Washington Post (2026, February 11)
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  . Accessed February 17, 2026.
• World Meteorological Organization (2026, February 13)
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  . Accessed February 17, 2026.
• Yahoo News (2026, February 13)
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  . Accessed February 17, 2026.

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