The incident happened prior to the opening ceremony of the 11th Indian Ocean Island Games.

"For the moment, the provisional toll is 12 dead and around 80 injured, with 11 of whom require urgent surgery," the  Malagasy Prime Minister Christian Ntsay told media as quoted Xinhua.

"The state is covering the medical costs of the injured and on behalf of all the institutions, I offer my condolences to the families of the victims," he added.

On June 26, 2019, at least 15 people died and 75 others were injured in a similar stampede at the same venue, known then as Mahamasina Stadium, when people were celebrating the independence of Madagascar.

Before that, on Sept 9, 2018, another stampede at the entrance to the stadium left one person dead and 47 others injured during a soccer match between Madagascar and Senegal.