Madagascar Churches Mobilize to Save Lives as Cyclone Gezani Kills 38 and Flattens Toamasina

Madagascar Churches Open Doors as Cyclone Gezani Leaves 38 Dead and 75% of Toamasina in Ruins

Tropical Cyclone Gezani made landfall on Madagascar's eastern coast near Toamasina on February 10, 2026, at approximately 7 p.m. local time, bringing sustained winds of 110 mph and gusts exceeding 155 mph.

At least 38 people have been killed, with 29 of those deaths occurring in the Toamasina region alone. Roughly 75% of infrastructure in the port city of approximately 575,000 residents has been damaged or destroyed.

The cyclone compounds an already devastating humanitarian crisis. Madagascar has confirmed 410 mpox cases across 23 regions, and officials fear the flooding and displacement of over 6,000 people will accelerate the spread of the disease in rural areas. In the south, 1.5 million people face acute hunger, while damage to the Port of Toamasina, which handles 80% of the nation's international trade, now threatens critical food and fuel imports.

Churches across the affected region have mobilized swiftly. Rev. Dinah Ratsimbajaona, president of the National Evangelical Alliance, called believers to action.

We are called to stand together in practical love, supporting those suffering from hunger, disease, and disaster. Rev. Dinah Ratsimbajaona, National Evangelical Alliance

Pastor Lova Andrianirina reported that his congregation has opened its damaged church building as a shelter for displaced families.

We are opening what remains of the building for those whose homes were destroyed. Our sanctuary is damaged, but our mission remains intact. Pastor Lova Andrianirina

Approximately 80% of Madagascar's population lives below the international poverty line. Gezani is the second major storm to hit the island nation in just two weeks, following Cyclone Fytia, which killed 14 people on January 31.

Cyclone Gezani Devastation in Madagascar: Churches Become Shelters as Death Toll Rises

Col. Michael Randrianirina, who assumed the presidency after October 2025's political takeover, visited Toamasina to survey the damage. A SADC mediation mission led by former Malawian President Joyce Banda is scheduled to engage leaders toward restoring constitutional stability in the country.

The FJKM Protestant Church has been distributing rice at shelters set up for displaced residents, demonstrating the critical role of Christian communities when government infrastructure collapses.

The Crusader's Opinion

When everything else fails, the Church stands. While politicians posture and international organizations draft their reports, it is pastors and church volunteers wading through floodwaters to feed the hungry and shelter the homeless. Madagascar's churches are not waiting for permission to act. They are opening their broken doors because that is what the Body of Christ does. Eighty percent of this nation lives in poverty, two cyclones have hit in two weeks, disease is spreading, and the government was overthrown months ago. Yet the Church remains. Let the world take note: when civilization crumbles, it is Christians who rebuild it.

Take Action

• Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to support persecuted and suffering Christians worldwide.
• Give to Open Doors to help provide emergency relief to Christians in disaster zones across Africa.
• Support Samaritan's Purse, which deploys disaster relief teams to cyclone affected regions.
• Pray specifically for the churches of Toamasina that are serving as shelters, and for Pastor Lova Andrianirina's congregation as they serve displaced families.
• Contact your elected representatives and urge them to support increased disaster relief aid to Madagascar through the State Department: call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224 3121.