Cyclone Pounds Madagascar With Torrential Winds And Rain

After gaining strength in the Indian Ocean with gale-force winds reaching peaks of 145 miles per hour, the cyclone made landfall near Mananjary.

Cyclone Batsirai's torrential winds and rain are hammering Madagascar, after landing on the island's east coast late Saturday. 

An estimated 45,000 people have been displaced by the tropical storm, the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management said on Sunday.

After gaining strength in the Indian Ocean with gale-force winds reaching peaks of 145 miles per hour, the cyclone made landfall near Mananjary, 310 miles east of the capital Antananarivo, according to the island's meteorology department.