ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar: Authorities in Madagascar have imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the capital, Antananarivo, after protests over chronic power outages and water shortages turned violent on September 25, according to senior security officials.

Police fired teargas to disperse thousands of mostly young demonstrators who marched through the city carrying placards and chanting demands for reliable utilities, a Reuters witness reported. Protesters denounced the government of President Andry Rajoelina, accusing it of failing to improve living conditions in the impoverished island nation.

"There are unfortunately individuals taking advantage of the situation to destroy other people's property," said General Angelo Ravelonarivo, head of a joint police and military security body, in a televised statement on Real TV. He announced that a curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. would remain in place "until public order is restored" to protect residents and their property.

The protests defied a prior police ban and escalated into violence. A large shopping mall was looted and set on fire, and the homes of two lawmakers were vandalized, according to witnesses. After police initially dispersed the crowds, unrest spread into several neighborhoods across Antananarivo.

Chants of "We need water, we need electricity" echoed through the demonstrations, reflecting growing frustration over unreliable basic services. Madagascar, one of the world's poorest countries, has long struggled with poverty, and many citizens blame Rajoelina's administration, re-elected in 2023, for failing to deliver improvements.

Security forces have issued repeated warnings in recent days. National police chief Jean Herbert Andriantahiana Rakotomalala cautioned earlier this week that authorities would take "firm preventive measures" against anyone attempting to break the law.

A spokesperson for the security forces, Zafisambatra Ravoavy, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The curfew highlights the mounting tension in Madagascar, where frustration over basic infrastructure has spilled into widespread unrest, forcing the government to take extraordinary security measures.