Cyclone Enawo kills 38 people and displaces 53,000 after it slams into Madagascar

The death toll from Cyclone Enawo, which slammed into Madagascar this week, rose to 38 people from an initial figure of five, the country's disaster management agency said.

Enawo hit Madagascar's vanilla-producing northeastern coast on Tuesday morning and started moving across the island nation as it weakened.

Thierry Venty, Executive Secretary of the National Bureau of Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC), said on national television late on Friday that those killed included victims of landslides caused by the storm. A total of 180 people were injured, he said.

Another 116,191 people were displaced or had their property damaged, he said, with 53,172 people taking shelter in centres set up across the country.

Tropical #Cyclone #Enawo (TS)
Max. Wind Gusts: 65mph
Strength: T.S.
Beaufort: 11 (violent storm)
Min. Pressure: 991mb
Soon to be a Cat 1... pic.twitter.com/nEGPrriPRH

— Joint Cyclone Center (@JointCyclone) March 4, 2017

"The damage is enormous wherever the cyclone has gone," Venty said.

PHOTOS: See damage left by Cyclone #Enawo in NE #Madagascar, from our partner @CAREMadagascar. @USAID staff is on the ground & ready to help pic.twitter.com/bJw0mqYDaR

— USAID/OFDA (@theOFDA) March 9, 2017

The local weather forecasting service said Enawo was one of the worst storms to hit the country in recent years.