Families and children in northern Madagascar are grappling with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Dikeledi, which has brought severe winds, violent storms, and widespread flooding. According to Save the Children, these conditions have prompted significant evacuations and urgent humanitarian concerns which leaves children, women, and youth more vulnerable.
Reports by Reliefweb International say that as of January 16, Tropical Cyclone Dikeledi was moving southeastward over the southern Indian Ocean, well off Madagascar’s southern coast, with maximum sustained winds reaching 201 km/h. By January 17 at 6:00 UTC, the cyclone had weakened, with sustained winds of 127 km/h, located approximately 1,250 km southeast of Madagascar.
However, in northern Madagascar, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) reported three fatalities, over 7,000 affected individuals, and more than 2,000 houses either damaged or destroyed as of January 17. The storm’s impact extended to central and northern Mozambique, where five fatalities, 50,000 affected people, and approximately 11,000 damaged or destroyed houses have been reported by the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD).
Tropical Storm Dikeledi is forecast to continue eastward over the southern Indian Ocean from January 17-19, with further weakening expected before it dissipates by January 20. Despite this, heavy to very heavy rainfall remains a concern over central and southern Madagascar and central Mozambique in the next 72 hours.
The national meteorological department had earlier warned of intense rain, strong winds, and storm surges affecting central and northern Madagascar. These conditions are worsened by the increasing frequency of extreme weather events attributed to the climate crisis.
Save the Children has emphasized the urgent need for high-income countries to provide increased funding to assist low-income nations in managing the impacts of climate change.
Tatiana Dasysaid, Save the Children’s Country Representative for Madagascar, raised concerns for the more than 22,500 children living in cyclone-affected areas. “The cyclone is likely to cause significant damage to residential areas and critical public infrastructure such as schools and hospitals. Flooding in low-lying areas could lead to a widespread humanitarian crisis,” she stated.
Save the Children has taken proactive measures, including pre-positioning essential school supplies in the Sava region and enhancing preparedness in vulnerable communities. The organization is prepared to conduct impact assessments and provide immediate support to affected families and children.
The organization has also called for urgent international action to support rescue operations and humanitarian aid. Since 2016, Save the Children has been active in Madagascar, focusing on child protection and cash-based assistance. In 2024 alone, it reached over 12,700 children through its programs.
With thousands affected and severe weather conditions persisting, the need for coordinated response efforts and long-term climate resilience funding remains critical.
