Kassim Majaliwa - Global pulse News
  • Tanzania floods and landslides kill more than 150

    Tanzania floods and landslides kill more than 150

    At least 155 people have died in floods and landslides in Tanzania following heavy rains caused by El Niño, the prime minister has said.

    Kassim Majaliwa warned that the rains might continue into May, and urged families to leave flood-prone areas.

    About 200,000 people and more than 51,000 households were already affected by the disaster, he added.

    Heavy rains have also swept through neighbouring Kenya and Burundi, causing a humanitarian crisis in the region.

    Giving a report to Tanzania’s parliament on the situation in his country since January, Mr Majaliwa said that in addition to the 155 people killed, 236 had been injured.

    “The heavy El Nino rains, accompanied by strong winds, floods, and landslides in various parts of the country, have caused significant damage.

    “These include loss of life, destruction of crops, homes, citizens’ property, and infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and railways,” he added.

    A resident in northern Tanzania’s Siha district told the BBC that his home had been destroyed.

    “I have nothing left, everything has been wiped away,” he said.

    In Kenya, President William Ruto has ordered the army to help with recue operations, as heavy rains pounded large parts of the country, including the capital, Nairobi, where homes in some slum areas have been swept away, along with furniture and other goods.

    More than 10 have died in Kenya this week, bringing the death to at least 45 people since March, the Red Cross said.

    In Burundi, heavy rains have displaced nearly 100,000 peoples.

    BBC Weather’s Chris Fawkes says that one of the biggest drivers of the rains is the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD).

    The IOD – often called the “Indian Niño” because of its similarity to its Pacific equivalent – refers to the difference in sea-surface temperatures in opposite parts of the Indian Ocean.

    During a positive phase, the waters in the western Indian Ocean are much warmer than normal and this can bring heavier rain regardless of El Niño.

    However, when both a positive IOD and an El Niño occur at the same time, as was the case last year, the rains in East Africa can become extreme.

    One of the strongest positive IOD patterns on record coincided with one of the strongest El Niño patterns in 1997 and 1998, with severe flooding reported. These caused more than 6,000 deaths in five countries in the region.

    More about the floods in East Africa:

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  • Flooding in Tanzania has killed 155 people as heavy rains continue in Eastern Africa

    Flooding in Tanzania has killed 155 people as heavy rains continue in Eastern Africa

    NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Flooding in Tanzania caused by weeks of heavy rain has killed 155 people and affected more than 200,000 others, the prime minister said Thursday.

    That is more than double the number of deaths reported two weeks ago as the amount of rainfall increases, especially in the coastal region and the capital, Dar es Salaam.

    Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told parliament that the El Niño climate pattern has worsened the ongoing rainy season, causing the flooding and destroying roads, bridges and railways. Flooded schools have been closed and emergency services have rescued people marooned by the flood waters.

    Majaliwa warned those living in low-lying areas to move to higher ground and urged district officials to ensure that provisions meant for those whose homes were washed away go to those in need of the supplies. He said more than 51,000 households have been affected by the rains.

    The East African region is experiencing heavy rains, with flooding also reported in neighboring Burundi and Kenya.

    In Kenya, 35 people were reported dead as of Monday, and the number was expected to increase as flooding continues across the country.

    In the Mathare slum in the capital, Nairobi, at least four bodies were retrieved from flooded houses on Wednesday. Local media reported that more bodies were retrieved from the Mathare River.

    Kenyan President William Ruto chaired a multi-agency flood response meeting on Thursday and directed the National Youth Service to provide land for people in flood-affected areas.

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