Island cyclone aid plea
"In the absence of definitive assessment reports, we can only surmise that Gafilo left significant damage in its wake," Foreign Minister Marcel Ranjeva said at a meeting with foreign diplomats, donors and other international organisations based in the island.
"Faced with this situation, and contrary to the norm, we are appealing to you to show solidarity... even as the cyclone is still on the island and damage assessment has not been finished," the minister said.
"We believe there will be between 55,000 and 100,000 homeless, and that figure includes those who have not yet recovered from Elita," another storm which hit northern Madagascar last month, said Interior Minister General Soja.
Elita killed 29 people, injured 100 and left 44,000 homeless in the same region that Gafilo swept through on Sunday, according to National Rescue Council reports.
"We still have only very incomplete reports on damage because communication is very difficult," said Soja.
"In addition to the usual needs tents, medicine, basic commodities it is proving necessary to ask for transport facilities, with air transport taking priority," said Soja.
Tropical cyclone Galifo hit Madagascar on Sunday.
The town of Antalaha was hit by winds blowing at 120 kilometres per hour, with gusts as high as 180 kilometres per hour.
French embassy aide Serge Segura said relief teams from the former colonial power would fly over the area hit by the storm to help assess the damage.
