Madagascar on high alert for Cyclone Batsirai’s winds, rain

By LAETITIA BEZAIN
Associated Press

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — Madagascar has put six of its regions on high alert as tropical Cyclone Batsirai is forecast to hit the Indian Ocean island’s east coast Saturday with intense winds of 195 kilometers (121 miles) per hour. Residents across the island are stocking up on groceries and securing their homes as much as possible before the storm lands. The Madagascar Red Cross warns that about 4.4 million of Madagascar’s 28 million people are at risk, with nearly 600,000 expected to be directly affected and more than 150,000 likely to be displaced. Government and Red Cross teams are preparing for emergencies.