Dam breach in Madagascar puts thousands at risk (PHOTOS)

Officials warn that heavy rains could trigger a full collapse that would threaten homes and farmland

Madagascar’s National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC) reported a partial rupture of a hydro-agricultural dam in the Analamanga region near the capital, Antananarivo on Monday.

Floodwaters washed away part of the dam’s retaining wall, which was built to control the Sisaony River and irrigate nearby farmland. Prolonged heavy rainfall has increased water pressure, and the authorities say this risks a full dam failure. Nearly 2,000 hectares of rice fields and over 5,000 homes could be directly at risk if the dike fails.

Prime Minister Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo visited the site and instructed an immediate government response. He said the event is “a natural disaster, but responsibility can be attributed to the company that built the dam in 2024,” as quoted by RFI. He added that officials will verify whether the dam was built according to standards.

“The government will continue to follow closely the reconstruction and improvement of the protection system against natural disasters, to ensure the safety of the population,” Rajaonarivelo said.

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The Ministry of Economy and Finance commented that the government will not “tolerate defects, convenience receipts or unjustified additional costs,” highlighting the need for stricter oversight of construction and spending to prevent emergencies.

The heavy rains affecting Madagascar are part of a broader pattern of extreme weather across southern Africa. In Mozambique, intense and prolonged rainfall has caused catastrophic flooding. More than 650,000 people have been impacted, with widespread damage to homes, roads, and schools, and at least 12 deaths reported as of late January.

In South Africa, prolonged downpours have inundated Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, killing at least 30 people, damaging thousands of homes, and prompting evacuations, including in Kruger National Park.

The Southern African Development Community has deployed an emergency response team to support the authorities in Mozambique and South Africa. The team has been integrated into Mozambique’s national humanitarian coordination mechanism to aid ongoing relief and recovery efforts.

Zimbabwe has experienced extensive flooding, with at least 70 deaths, 51 injuries, and more than 1,000 homes destroyed since early January.