The recent heavy rains in Tanzania have resulted in devastating floods, claiming the lives of 58 individuals in just two weeks.
With April being the peak of the country’s rainy season, the situation has been worsened by the El Nino phenomenon, causing widespread droughts and flooding around the world.
Government spokesman, Mobhare Matinyi, revealed that the coastal region has been one of the hardest hit areas, with 11 fatalities reported there. To address the ongoing issue of flooding, Tanzania is planning to construct 14 dams as a preventive measure against future disasters.
This is not the first time Tanzania has faced such tragedy, as just four months ago, 63 individuals lost their lives during floods in northern Tanzania which triggered landslides. More recently, eight schoolchildren drowned when their bus plunged into a flooded gorge in the north, resulting in yet another casualty during rescue operations.
Overall, over 126,000 people have been affected by the flooding, with significant damage reported to farms in the coastal and Morogoro areas. Relief efforts have been mobilized to provide essential supplies to those impacted by the disaster.
The situation is not limited to Tanzania, as neighboring Kenya has also experienced heavy rains leading to flooding that claimed at least 13 lives. The World Weather Attribution group has attributed the intense rainfall in East Africa to climate change, making the heavy rainfall up to two times more intense.
As a result, individuals living in flood-prone areas are being urged to relocate to safer locations to minimize the risk of future tragedies.
