Cyclone death toll now 237
2004-03-30 11:50
Antananarivo - The cyclone that lashed northern Madagascar early this month claimed 237 lives, while 181 people are still unaccounted for, the national rescue service on the Indian Ocean island said on Tuesday.
An earlier toll put the number of dead at 198, with 166 missing.
More than 300 000 people were left homeless by the storm, the rescue service said. That figure was also significantly higher than the previous tally, which put the number made homeless at 216 000.
The death toll has risen as rescue services are able to make their way to isolated villages in the north and west of the island state, many of which are only accessible on foot, rescuers said.