The island nation of Madagascar, already reeling from flooding rains from Tropical Storm Ana on January 22 and a devastating drought in southern parts of the nation, is bracing for the expected arrival of Tropical Cyclone Batsirai on Saturday.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center predicts that Batsirai will continue tracking west-southwest and gradually weaken, making landfall in east-central Madagascar around 12Z (3 p.m. local time) Saturday, February 5, as a category 2 storm. The coast there is moderately populated, and damage from storm surge and wind is likely to be extensive. However, the biggest concern from Batsirai will be its widespread rains of 8-16” expected to affect a populated area. Batsari’s heavy rain area may end up just south of the most heavily populated city in the country, the capital of Antananarivo, but the nation’s third-largest city, Antsirabe (population 250,000) will likely get rains in excess of 10 inches.

Unfortunately, Batsirai’s rains will mostly miss  the Diocese of Toliara in, southern Madagascar, where a multiyear drought has 1.6 million people at high levels of acute food insecurity.

Remembering how Jesus calmed the storm when out in the boat with the disciples, please continue to pray for Tropical Cyclone Batsirai to weaken before hitting Madagascar – and pray for rain to fall in the south where crops are growing nicely but need water to survive.