Cyclone Gezani displaces thousands in northeastern Madagascar

• Tropical Cyclone Gezani has killed at least 31 people and displaced thousands after making landfall in Madagascar on February 10, causing widespread destruction and disruption.

• Cyclone Gezani struck Madagascar’s northeastern coast with strong winds exceeding 195 km/h, triggering flooding, infrastructure damage, and widespread disruption across multiple regions. 

• Communities in coastal and inland districts have experienced destruction of housing, damage to public infrastructure, and reduced access to essential services. 

• Over 65,000 homes have been flooded, damaged or destroyed, and around 600 classrooms have been partially or completely rendered unusable.

• The UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has deployed emergency teams to Toamasina to support authorities as displaced families shelter in 28 evacuation centres across 16 districts. 

• A national state of emergency has been declared.

• The government is leading search-and-rescue operations and delivering emergency shelter and food assistance, including the distribution of 800 metric tonnes of rice, with support from UN agencies and partners.

• A $3 million allocation from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund will assist more than 90,000 people as additional donor funding supports early response efforts.

Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)

• The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) is a humanitarian fund established by the UN General Assembly in December 2005 and launched in March 2006

• It is one of the fastest funding instruments available to help people affected by crises.

• CERF seeks to enable more timely and reliable humanitarian assistance to those affected by natural disasters and armed conflicts.

CERF’s objectives:

i) To promote early action and response to reduce loss of life.

ii) To enhance response to time-critical requirements.

iii) To strengthen core elements of humanitarian response in underfunded crises.

• CERF’s rapid response window allows country teams to kick-start relief efforts immediately in a coordinated and prioritised response when a new crisis emerges. 

• The Emergency Relief Coordinator manages CERF on behalf of the UN Secretary-General and is supported by the CERF secretariat, which ensures that funds are allocated properly, disbursed in a timely manner, and that the use of funds is reported appropriately and transparently. 

• Since its creation by the UN General Assembly in 2005, and with generous contributions from 130 Member States and observers, as well as other donors including private individuals, CERF has assisted hundreds of millions of people with some $9.6 billion across more than 110 countries and territories. This includes $3.3 billion to underfunded crises. CERF has an annual funding target of $1 billion.

• CERF is the leading global humanitarian funding tool for responding to climate-related humanitarian emergencies. To strengthen this function, CERF launched its Climate Action Account at COP28, offering a quick, efficient and impactful avenue for climate-related humanitarian finance. 

• It aims to assist the world’s most vulnerable communities facing the consequences of the climate crisis, including through anticipatory action and life-saving projects that also build people’s adaptation and resilience.