Madagascar hit by another intense cyclone

Rain- and wind-battered Madagascar off the east coast of Africa was on Friday weathering its fourth heavy cyclone in recent months.Intense Cyclone Indlala hit land in the tropical island on Thursday and continued to rage over the island's vanilla plantations on Friday.

By about 4pm on Friday afternoon, it was dissipating but still packed winds of about 100km/h, according to the Tropical Storm Risk website.

The cities of Sambava Antalaha and Maroantsetra in the north were affected, with large areas flooded and inhabitants left without telephone links.Antalaha, the centre of vanilla production and already hard-hit by earlier devastating cyclones, has lost an estimated 90% of its crops.

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