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Pangalanes is derived from the Malaysian word pang kalan, which means a place for canoes. This is further evidence of Madagascar’s relationship with the Southeast regions of the Asian Continent.
The east coast is also known for its heavy rainfall, between 2,500 and 4,000mm per year. This exceptional rainfall enabled the
expansion of large forest area, however, nowadays there are only patches of it left in areas inaccessible to humans. This eastern
forest is a natural platform for the rich endemic flora and fauna of Madagascar.
We are far from having identified all of Madagascar’s resources - researchers regularly discover new species. Ambatovy has
contributed to the preservation of such wealth by modifying the route of its pipeline in order to avoid the most sensitive areas.
Heavy rains have also resulted in increased streams flow, but the very hilly relief prevents the development of inland navigation. There
are many perennial rivers, navigable only in the last sections of their downstream portion. Despite having a heavy upstream flow
the rivers slow down when they reach the plains at the confluence with a main river. In many cases, they cannot flow to the ocean
and form large bodies of water. These are then connected by narrow channels and make up the Pangalanes Canal
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, a navigable
waterway of about 700 km.
The most spectacular phenomenon in the weather of the eastern region is the frequent cyclones. They affect the region at regular
intervals, causing extensive damage, especially to road and rail infrastructures. Since its implementation, Ambatovy has already
experienced three major cyclones that caused disturbances to its construction works.
Cyclones
The probable paths of cyclones, which usually form in the Indian Ocean, a few thousand kilometers northeast of Madagascar takes in
the east coast. These are likely to occur for the next 25 years of Ambatovy’s operations.
Due to heat, a low pressure core forms, around which a movement of swirling winds with increasing speed collects. The whole
formation moves at a rate of 10 to 20km per hour towards the west, along a parabolic curve that leads to its dissolution in the colder
waters of the South Pole. From the eye of the cyclone, a puzzlingly quiet area, snaps a cyclical movement where the speed of the
swirling winds ranges between 100 and 300km per hour. The huge cloud mass may cover a circle of 400km in diameter. The regions
crossed by a cyclone suffer from powerful gusts of wind causing major and enormous destruction. However, most damage occurs
from the heavy rains. These may last a few days and cause floods, landslides, and road cuts. Polluting drinking water sources, floods
often cause deadly diseases in young children. Road cuts prevent the transportation of supplies to the affected areas. The warning
and prevention system set up by Ambatovy’s security team has significantly contributed to limiting losses. The high number of
cyclones has not managed to destroy the uniqueness of the biodiversity of this region.
