The first downpours have once again highlighted the capital’s vulnerability to flooding. In Mahavoky Besarety, just fifteen minutes of rain were enough for water to reach the feet of Florentine Rabemasoandro’s stall. The next day, the merchant was busy cleaning up the mud left by the receding water, lamenting the drop in her turnover every time the road is submerged. She calls for regular dredging of the canals, which she now considers vital.
In Andranomahery Ankorondrano, the impact on families is equally severe. Domoina Ny Aina Razakariasy, a mother of six, explains that residents have to build makeshift crossings as soon as the water level rises. Crossing is an obstacle course for schoolchildren; her family even had to build a pirogue to ensure their mobility during floods. She urges public officials to provide a sustainable solution to the drainage problem.
The Urban Commune of Antananarivo (CUA) has announced a vast sanitation operation covering nearly 50 kilometers of secondary and tertiary canals across 61 fokontany. Meanwhile, the National Bureau for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC) is conducting targeted interventions in the 6th arrondissement. However, the reality on the ground remains stark: as soon as the first rains fall, homes and businesses are flooded, paralyzing local life.
Residents point to the accumulation of household waste clogging the pipes and the inadequacy of the drainage sub-network. Beyond institutional announcements, the challenge is to durably address the fragility of low-lying areas. For the population, the effectiveness of sanitation policies will be measured by a simple indicator: the ability to move, work, and send their children to school without facing stagnant water at the first drop of rain.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-30 05:53:34 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/premieres-pluies-antananarivo-peine.html