The rising waters that once haunted the daily lives of residents in parts of the Urban Commune of Antananarivo (CUA) and neighboring municipalities are now a thing of the past. “We have successfully protected many areas from flooding thanks to the Greater Antananarivo Integrated Urban Development and Resilience Project (PRODUIR). In our commune, areas that used to end up underwater during the rainy season are now spared. Only a few problem spots remain,” stated Jimmy Ranitratsilo, mayor of the Bemasoandro Itaosy commune, yesterday during the closing ceremony of PRODUIR at the Carlton Anosy hotel.
As an example, he noted that the number of victims dropped from 700 to 400 in his commune during the last rainy season, and that out of the seven neighborhoods that systematically faced distress during rising waters, only three remain in difficulty today. “The alleys are equipped with drainage channels, which allow all water to be directed. Numerous culverts have also been installed, alleys have been rehabilitated, and an initiative has been taken to arrange gutter edges,” the mayor added.
Renewal
This provides an overview of the situation for all municipalities benefiting from PRODUIR. “300,000 people have been protected against flooding in Antananarivo and neighboring municipalities,” announced Haja Rasolofojaona, coordinator of PRODUIR.
This project, implemented by the Malagasy State through the Ministry of Territorial Planning and Land Services and financed by the World Bank, aimed to protect the population against flooding and improve sanitation through various works, notably the dredging and restoration of the C3 canal and the rehabilitation of the Ikopa and Sisaony dikes. The 12-kilometer-long C3 canal is one of the main infrastructures in Antananarivo for water evacuation. Its dredging allowed for the removal of over 115,000 cubic meters of mud and the containment of 63,000 more. Furthermore, 8.2 kilometers of the C3 canal banks have also been rehabilitated.
Beneficiary municipalities are counting on the renewal of the project to completely eliminate the scourge of flooding. “The follow-up project, PRODUIR 2, is underway. Its operational launch is expected around the beginning of next year, or perhaps even earlier,” announced Ruffin Sambany, Secretary General of the Ministry of Territorial Planning and Land Services.
By Miangaly Ralitera
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-11 05:42:51 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/antananarivo-la-montee-des-eaux-epargne.html