January 27, 2020: The government of Madagascar has declared a national emergency after a week long flooding claimed lives of 31 people and displaced more than 16,000 people. According to the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC), recent floodings have inundated more than 10,000 homes, with 46 totally destroyed. At least seven regions in the north of the country have been affected, with Boeny, Sofia and Alaotra Mangoro hardest hit. President Andry Rajoelina called it "a day of devastation" across the island. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Government has deployed two helicopters to conduct aerial surveillance of the flooded areas and support the evacuation of people at risk. The death toll may rise in the days ahead, as several people remain missing.