Thousands Homeless After Cyclone Hits

A cyclone swept across the island nation of Madagascar Saturday, spawning floods that left 100 people missing and thousands homeless, radio reports said.

The hurricanelike storm moved northwest across this impoverished island of 13 million, causing water and wind damage in 80 percent of towns southeast of the capital of Antananarivo, Radio France Internationale reported in Paris.

There was no immediate word of any deaths or injuries.

The 370-mile-wide storm appeared to be headed toward open water and had been downgraded to a tropical storm, RFI said.

Communication links to the island were down Saturday night.