Madagascar: Humanitarian Snapshot (January to March 2026)

Executive Summary

Country: Madagascar Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached Infographic. OVERVIEW Successive destructive weather systems have severely affected Madagascar since the beginning of 2026, causing loss of live, displacement and damage to infrastructure. CYCLONE AND FLOODS Successive weather systems have caused significant damage in the 2025-2026 cyclone season. Since January, Madagascar was hit by two major cyclones: Tropical Cyclone Fytia and Intense Tropical Cyclone Gezani which struck within 10 days of each other. The cyclones came after a period of heavy rainfall (November and December 2025) which caused 11 deaths and significant floods in several regions. Tropical Cyclone Fytia formed in the Mozambique Channel on 28 January and made landfall in Soalala District on the west coast of Madagascar on 31 January; Intense Tropical Cyclone Gezani formed over the southwest Indian Ocean on 4 February and rapidly intensified before making landfall in east coast on 10 February in Toamasina. Both cyclones brought strong winds, heavy rainfall and widespread flooding, causing 71 deaths and displacing at least 66,000 people. About 27,100 houses were destroyed; 95,000 were partially Cyclone Flash Appeal. FOOD INSECURITY AND MALNUTRITION About 1.6 million people are facing acute levels of food insecurity, including some 109,000 people in Emergency (IPC 4) between February and April 2026. In cyclone-affected eastern areas, livelihood recovery remains slow due to displacement, high shelter repair costs, and damage to rice fields and aquaculture. The results of the mass screening conducted in the first quarter of 2026 in 15 districts of the Grand South and Grand South East show that more than 4,500 children are suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). Four out of the 11 districts in the South present a serious level of Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM), ranging between 10 per cent and 15 per cent, requiring an immediate multisectoral response: Bekily (13.2 per cent), Ampanihy (12.5 per cent), Beloha, and Tsihombe (10.2 per cent). Nosy Varika district (Vatovavy region) is also in a serious situation (9.1 per cent). The situation in the other districts remains generally stable but requires monitoring and targeted responses. Regarding the trend in SAM admissions, a slight decrease was observed in January 2026 compared to January 2025. However, the overall situation remains fragile, as the number of SAM admissions in the South in 2025 was significantly higher than in 2024. In addition, admissions in the Ikongo District have been on an upward trend since October 2025. DISEASE OUTBREAK Cyclones have increased the risk of waterborne disease, while an mpox outbreak continues to spread. Overcrowding in temporary displacement shelters, flooding and damaged water systems have increased the risk of waterborne and vector-borne diseases, including acute diarrheal diseases and malaria. Limited access to safe water and sanitation, combined with ongoing health challenges such as mpox, further complicates the public health situation and heightens protection risks for vulnerable people. As of 31 March 2026, some 749 confirmed cases of mpox and 2 deaths were reported from 23 out of the 24 regions in the country since December 2025. Partners have ramped up response interventions.