ion ▁carried ▁by ▁rivers ▁crossing ▁the ▁broad ▁western ▁pla ins . ▁ ▁Cl imate ▁ ▁The ▁combination ▁of ▁sout he astern ▁trade ▁wind s ▁and ▁north western ▁mon so ons ▁produces ▁a ▁hot ▁ra iny ▁season ▁( Nov ember – A pril ) ▁with ▁frequently ▁destruct ive ▁cycl ones , ▁and ▁a ▁relatively ▁cool er ▁dry ▁season ▁( May – Oct ober ). ▁Rain ▁clouds ▁origin ating ▁over ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁dis charge ▁much ▁of ▁their ▁mo ist ure ▁over ▁the ▁island ' s ▁eastern ▁coast ; ▁the ▁heavy ▁precip itation ▁supports ▁the ▁area ' s ▁rain for est ▁e cos ystem . ▁The ▁central ▁high lands ▁are ▁both ▁d rier ▁and ▁cool er ▁while ▁the ▁west ▁is ▁d rier ▁still , ▁and ▁a ▁semi - ar id ▁climate ▁prev ails ▁in ▁the ▁south west ▁and ▁southern ▁interior ▁of ▁the ▁island . ▁ ▁Trop ical ▁cycl ones ▁cause ▁damage ▁to ▁infrastr ucture ▁and ▁local ▁econom ies ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁loss ▁of ▁life . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Cy clone ▁Ga fil o ▁became ▁the ▁strong est ▁cy clone ▁ever ▁recorded ▁to ▁hit ▁Mad agas car . ▁The ▁storm ▁killed ▁ 1 7 2 ▁people , ▁left ▁ 2 1 4 , 2 6 0 ▁hom eless ▁and ▁caused ▁more ▁than ▁US $ 2 5 0   mill ion ▁in ▁damage . ▁ ▁E col ogy ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁island ' s ▁long ▁isol ation ▁from ▁neighbor ing ▁contin ents , ▁Mad agas car ▁is ▁home ▁to ▁various