Severe floods and landslides hit Tanzania’s Hanang district, burying 100 homes and claiming at least 68 lives

At least 68 people have been killed and 116 others injured in destructive floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall in northern Tanzania on Saturday, December 2, 2023. The death toll is expected to rise.

According to district commissioner Janeth Mayanja, heavy rains hit the village of Katesh, located some 300 km (186 miles) north of the capital Dodoma on December 2, causing severe floods and landslides.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan said at least 100 houses in the village were swallowed by a landslide.

“Up to this evening, the death toll reached 47 and 85 injured,” Queen Sendiga, regional commissioner in the Manyara area of northern Tanzania, told local media on Sunday.

Both warned the death toll was likely to increase.

Mayanja added that many roads in the area have been rendered impassable due to mud, water, and the obstruction posed by dislodged trees and stones.

Since late October 2023, northern Tanzania, particularly the Arusha Region bordering southern Kenya, has been grappling with heavy rainfall and devastating floods. As reported on November 16, the floods resulted in at least 10 fatalities and the displacement of approximately 90 families. The Arusha District, comprising villages and neighborhoods like Muriet, Terrat, Elerai, Morombo, Lolovono, and Ngarenaro, was the hardest hit.

Crops in some parts of the country have been washed away, affecting people’s livelihoods.

Severe flooding caused by a combination of the El Nino and Indian Ocean dipole weather phenomena has killed hundreds of people in neighboring Kenya and Somalia since seasonal rains began in October.

Updates

December 5

The number of fatalities rose to 57 while 85 are still receiving treatment in hospital.

The floods and landslides affected 1 150 households, or 5 600 people.

December 6

The number of fatalities rose to 68 and the number of injured to 116.

References:

¹ Tanzania floods: Heavy rain and landslides kill 47 in Hanang district – BBC – December 3, 2023

² Tanzania floods: Heavy rain and landslides kill 47 in Hanang district

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