Tropical storm Dumako hits northern Madagascar; 2 missing

By LAETITIA BEZAIN
Associated Press

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — Two people are missing and 885 have been displaced in northeastern Madagascar by tropical storm Dumako. The National Office for Disaster Management reported Wednesday that the storm hit Madagascar’s Soanierana Ivongo area Tuesday at 3 p.m. with winds of 65 kilometers (40 miles) per hour, gusting to 90 kilometers (56 miles) per hour. Heavy rains were reported as the storm moved across the island to the Analanjirofo region. Meteorology offices in southern Africa forecast that Dumako will continue moving westward across Madagascar and then will bring winds and rain to northern Mozambique. Earlier this month, Cyclone Batsirai hit eastern Madagascar, causing 121 deaths and displacing 143,000 people.