The cyclone and following rainstorm that swept northeast Madagascar last week have killed 21 people, according to statistics published by the National Committee for Risks and Catastrophe Council.
Two were injured and five were missing in the cyclone, codenamed Indlala, which have affected 23,750 people, according to the council under the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
However, local newspapers said 36 were killed and 12 others were missing in the disaster which hit northeast parts of the
Indian Ocean Island country from March 14 to 16.
President Marc Ravalomanana have flown to Iharana, a coastal town about 1,300 kilometres northeast of the capital, on Tuesday with senior government officials to organize relief work and assess the loss in the area, relief officials here said.
The Indian Ocean island country of Madagascar has already seen seven cyclones in the current cyclone season, which normally lasts
from November to March, inflicting heavy losses to the poor country with a population of some 19 million.
The Malagasy government has declared a national emergency and appealed for nternational aid for the victims of the devastating floods.