ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Cyclone Elita, returning to Madagascar for the second time in a week, claimed four lives and left 13,000 homeless.
The United Nations Integrated Regional Information Networks said the cyclone, in its first strike on the Indian Ocean island on Jan. 28 killed two people and left 5,000 homeless.
The storm struck again Tuesday.
"The situation can be said to be very serious, but there is still uncertainty about the extent of the damage, although we have received information that 90 percent of the buildings in Maineirano district (in the island's northwest section) have been destroyed by the rains," said Bouri Sanhouidi, a resident coordinator for the United Nations.
Those left homeless found refuge in stadiums and the few public buildings left standing.
Neighboring Mozambique's National Institute for Disaster Management told IRIN residents of four coastal provinces had been put on alert after Elita produced winds reaching 80 miles per hour in the Mozambique channel.
