Madagascar death toll from Cyclone Batsirai rises to 80 -state agency

An aerial view shows damaged houses and debris on the beach, in the aftermath of Cyclone Batsirai, in Mananjary, Madagascar, February 8, 2022. Picture taken with a drone. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) - The death toll from Cyclone Batsirai in Madagascar rose to 80 from a previously reported 29, the state disaster relief agency said on Wednesday as information continued to filter in from areas of the country that were badly affected.

The cyclone slammed into the large Indian Ocean island late on Saturday, knocking down houses and electricity lines as it battered the southeastern coast until it moved away late on Sunday, leaving 91,000 people with destroyed or damaged homes.