Natural Hazards and Disasters: Tanzania Floods claim a further 10 lives

Sunday 13 April 2014

Tanzania Floods claim a further 10 lives

Severe floods in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania have claimed 10 lives on Sunday 13^th April. The country has experienced heavy rainfall over the past few days which have triggered floods, causing numerous parts of the country to become inundated including the commercial capital Dar es Salaam. Two fatalities have previously been reported and a further ten have been reported on Sunday. According to the regional commissioner the death toll is likely to rise over the coming days.

The floods have destroyed or severely damaged hundreds of homes leaving thousands homeless, farms and crops have also been destroyed and numerous livestock killed. Infrastructure such as roads, bridges and the drainage network have also been badly damaged or swept away. Major roads linking to the rest of the country have been cut off. The floods also caused the derailment of a train in the Dodoma Region in previous weeks which claimed the lives of 2 people.

According to reports, of the 10 victims 5 were children who died in different parts of Dar es Salaam. Rescue teams have been set up to respond in the worse hit areas.

Tanzania’s Meteorological Agency has forecast further heavy rain over the next few days. This has caused residents in Dar es Salaam to panic. The eastern part of the Country has received above average rainfall over the past few weeks.

It is likely that further heavy rainfall will pose a hazard and worsen the situation over the next few days.