Bishop Samy has written asking for your prayers, as tropical cyclone Honde has caused much damage on the west coast of the Diocese of Toliara.

Private accommodation has been damaged in many parts of the Diocese, as has the school in Ambohimahavelona, and some church buildings have been destroyed.

Bishop Samy says they will submit a report to the local authority and wait to see what support they can get, but he is not aware of the local authority making a quick response.

In Morondava, the Venerable Lova’s family is now staying in a Hotel as the rectory is flooded:

Venerable Lova’s family sitting at the side of the road:

All Saints, Morondava:

Damaged homes in Betioky Parish:

In recent days, we have received pictures from Rev Antsa, the priest in charge of the district of Amboasary, in the deep south of the Diocese, showing children playing happily in large puddles, and emaciated cattle drinking. The rain there is very welcome, as the area was recently in sufficiently severe drought that some cattle were dying of thirst.

Near the western coast, however, people are understandably not so happy.  Cyclones between Madagascar and Mozambique have brought several days of torrential rain that has flooded their homes, and is due to continue for the next couple of days, followed by extreme heat.  

Rev Delphin (who lives in the cathedral complex) has sent a video of the complex.  It is rainier than when the cyclone hit the area in 2015:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdCVertvlpI

Rev Gaston, who recently transferred from the deep south to serve on the west coast of the diocese has sent pictures of knee-deep water in and around his home. 

The people in Toliara town are anxiously hoping to keep their few possessions out of the floodwaters in their homes, and also finding the weather too cold, as heavy rainclouds blot out the sun.

Please hold them in your prayers

We have heard more news from the Diocese and received more photos. Please continue to hold everyone affected in your prayers.

News from Fenoarivo

More than 1,200 Christian had their houses damaged due to Cyclone Freddy in the parish of Fenoarivo. The crops have been completely destroyed, and people have been killed by the flooding by river and sea. We need your prayers.

Please pray too for the wife of the Parish Priest, Rev Delphin, who is very sick.

Photos from Betioky Parish

Morombe Church

Please continue to pray for everyone in the southwest of Madagascar – and the people in Mozambique as Cyclone Freddy is heading back to there.

Here are some photos from the Cathedral Complex from today:

And St Philip’s, Ambohitsabo:

Most unusually Cyclone Freddy, which had already crossed over the island of Madagascar and reached Mozambique, has returned to Toliara and hit the Diocese really badly.

The Cathedral is flooded, the churches in Ambohimahavelona and Analaiva have collapsed and many homes have been destroyed, including at least four homes of Christians in Sakaraha. Flood water is rising in Morondava.

Crops have been destroyed and the price of food is escalating. News is still reaching us from the affected areas.

Please hold the Diocese and all the people of Toliara in your prayers, as they recover from this devastation.