38 Dead After Madagascar Cyclone

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Madagascar's government says the death toll from Cyclone Enawo has risen to at least 38.

The island nation's disaster management agency on Saturday said the cyclone that made landfall in the northeast on Tuesday also has driven 50,000 people from their homes. At least 180 people were injured.

Enawo brought heavy rains and winds in excess of 140 miles (225 kilometers) per hour — the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane.

Officials say the full extent of the damage is not yet known because of telecommunications breakdowns, making it hard to contact rural communities.

The cyclone also has damaged the economy. The Sava region in the northeast produces about half of the world's vanilla, and producers predict a very bad harvest.

(KA)