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Madagascar Cyclone Death Toll Reaches 50

by Associated Press

   JOHANNESBURG --

   Madagascar's government says the death toll from Cyclone Enawo has
   risen to at least 50, with 20 people missing.

   The island nation's disaster management agency on Sunday said the
   cyclone that made landfall in the northeast on Tuesday also has driven
   110,000 people from their homes. At least 183 people were injured.
   Enawo brought heavy rains and winds in excess of 140 miles (225
   kilometers) per hour -- the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane.
   Officials say the full extent of the damage is not yet known because of
   telecommunications breakdowns, making it hard to contact rural
   communities.
   The cyclone also has damaged the economy. The Sava region in the
   northeast produces about half of the world's vanilla, and producers
   predict a very bad harvest.