Madagascar’s Key Vanilla-Producing Region Hit by Cyclone

Madagascar’s key vanilla-producing region has taken a direct hit from a tropical storm that made landfall on the Indian Ocean island’s north eastern coast on Wednesday.

The region, which produces around 80% of the world’s vanilla beans, was being hammered by heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 125 kilometer per hour by Cyclone Gamane, the nation’s meteorological services said.