from MARIO RAJOMAZANDRY in Antananarivo, Madagascar
Madagascar Bureau
ANTANANARIVO, (CAJ News) – EDUCATION has come to a standstill as the Cyclone Batsirai tears through Madagascar.
Up to 10 000 children have been left with no school to attend after the cyclone made landfall last weekend.
At least 69 schools have been completely destroyed.
No less than 439 schools have been partially damaged and 55 had their roofs blown off.
It was earlier confirmed that three children under 12 were among the 21 reported dead.
At least 62 000 people have been displaced, including tens of thousands of children.
Save the Children fears the real number is higher as authorities are still assessing the full impact of the storm.
Batsirai is the second major storm, after Ana, to batter the southern African island country in just two weeks.
Tatiana Dasy, Save the Children’s Programme Director for Madagascar, noted east parts of the country had been worst hit.
“Authorities and humanitarian groups are still assessing the full impact of the damage,” the official said.
“After two years of being pushed out of schooling due to COVID-19, this is the last thing children need,” Dasy said.
Save the Children is working with the aid agency Humanité et Inclusion, to responds to the crisis.
Batsirai made landfall on Saturday night with winds of 165km (103 miles) per hour causing massive destruction to infrastructure.
– CAJ News