Natural Hazards and Disasters: Aftermath and Recovery, Tanzania Earthquake (Update: 22 September 2016)

20 people, including 7 children and 13 adults, have now been confirmed dead in Tanzania after a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck the country on 10 September. Reports on fatalities do vary with some reporting 17. The number of injured has increased to 269.

The Tanzanian Red Cross report that 905 houses have been destroyed and 1124 houses have been damaged in Bukoba. These numbers are likely to keep increasing while full assessments are carried out in rural areas.

The United Nations joint assessment with NGOs and the Government have estimated a total of 16,000 buildings have been damaged or destroyed. This includes 2072 destroyed and 14,595 severely damaged. In total 5 districts have been affected including Bukoba Municipality, Bukoba Rural, Misenyi, Karagwe and Kyerwa.

Many of the damaged or destroyed buildings have included schools. According to the UN joint report, in Bukoba Urban alone, Kagemu Secondary School, Kashenge Primary School and Mugeza Secondary School have been affected. This has included damage such as cracks or major damage which will require demolishing classrooms. The damage to schools has currently suspended learning and therefore will need to be repaired in order to allow children to resume school.

Those who have lost their homes are either staying with neighbours, unaffected family members or outside their homes in fear of losing their property and valuables.

Many of the affected, in particular children have been left deeply traumatised by the earthquake. NGOs have put in a request for psychological support for these victims.

1.4 billion shillings have been donated for the victims of the earthquake. The Tanzanian Red Cross Society is on the ground responding to the earthquake. There have been reports claiming that those most affected by the earthquake are struggling since aid is not getting through to them. The population in the rural communities who have been affected, have also been complaining about the lack of aid.

In the needs assessment, the Government has estimated that 4,000 tents, 10,750 blankets and 18,050 bedsheets are required for those affected. 80 cement bags, 24 cartons of soap, 90 bed sheets, 1140 blankets, 650 mosquito nets, 127 tents, 80 roof sheets, 50 first aid kits and 400 mats have so far been distributed by the Government in Bukoba, Muleba, Karagwe and Misenyi.

Damage assessments are currently underway and may take a few more weeks. Some residents have started repairing damage to their properties. Engineering experts will be required to assess the safety of some of the damaged buildings. Many of the buildings have been severely damaged and therefore may not be suitable to live in.

According to local sources, a newly built building (shown below) will need to be demolished since experts have claimed that the foundation is weak and not suitable. It may take months to rebuild homes and businesses destroyed in the earthquake.

Teams from MapAction have been deployed to Tanzania to help assess and map the damage. Below are three maps created by MapAction showing affected districts, with and without the number of population and the number of minor and major damaged buildings within each district. As shown by the maps, the worst affected wards are within the Bukoba Urban and Bukoba Rural district. In Kashai, as many as 4795 buildings have suffered major damage and 1685 have suffered minor damage. Kishogo was another badly affected ward where 2585 buildings suffered major damage and 387 suffered minor damage.

Further updates will be given as more information is available.

To view details on Red Cross Emergency Plan of Action Issued on 20 September visit: Tanzanian Red Cross Plan

Link to Tanzania Red Cross Society: Tanzanian Red Cross Society

For full details of the United Republic of Tanzania Joint report follow the link: UN Joint Action Plan

For previous blog entries on this earthquake:

Districts and Wards affected (Source: MapAction)

Districts and Wards affected with population (Source: MapAction)

Number of damaged buildings (Source: MapAction)

(Source: Dan Ashby, Twitter - @danielashby)

Severe damage to Ihungo School Church (Source: Dan Ashby, Twitter - @danielashby)

Another school damaged (Source: Dan Ashby, Twitter - @danielashby)

Damage in an orphanage (Source: Dan Ashby, Twitter - @danielashby)

(Source: Dan Ashby, Twitter - @danielashby)

(Photographer unknown)

St. Joseph Secondary School. Both Kolping Primary and Secondary schools have also been affected by the earthquake. (Source: Facebook: @Kolping International)