On the iconic hill of Manjakamiadana in Antananarivo, the arrival of the rainy season brings not just storms but a looming threat to the lives of nearly 2,000 residents.
Landslides and rockfalls have become a yearly menace, causing devastation and human loss in this densely populated area.
In 2024, the risk has reached unprecedented levels.
Despite warnings and visible red flags marking danger zones, many families remain in peril as their homes teeter on the brink of collapse.
Red Flags Signal Imminent Danger
Over the weekend, 500 red flags were planted across the sacred hill of Manjakamiadana to alert residents to the critical risks.
The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC) reported that nearly 400 households on the hill’s eastern, western, northern, and southern slopes are at risk from landslides, falling rocks, and collapsing homes.
“Every year, we see the terrain weakening further,” said a spokesperson from BNGRC.
“This year’s forecasted active rainy season only heightens the danger.”
Warnings Ignored by Some Residents
While fear grips many, some residents dismiss the warnings, believing the danger is overstated.
In Ambanin’Ampamarinana, where a landslide claimed four lives in 2019, some locals continue to live in fragile homes despite experts’ repeated alerts about the hill’s increasing instability.
Georisk specialists confirm that water infiltration during heavy rains further destabilizes the already fragile terrain, making disasters more likely.
A Community in Limbo
The lack of permanent relocation solutions has left many residents with no choice but to remain in high-risk areas.
“We have nowhere else to go,” said one resident.
Despite years of warnings, authorities have yet to implement measures to reinforce failing infrastructure or relocate endangered families.
Proposed solutions, such as drainage systems or retaining walls, are costly and complex.
For now, the only viable option appears to be relocation, but it poses significant economic and social challenges, particularly for families dependent on local livelihoods.
As the rains intensify, so does the urgency to act, but for those living under the shadow of Manjakamiadana, time may be running out.
