catastrophe
Heavy rains in East Africa: 155 dead in Tanzania alone
A man wades through floodwaters in Nairobi. photo
© Joy Nabukewa/XinHua/dpa
Heavy rains and floods have left a trail of destruction in East Africa in recent weeks. There is now an initial balance sheet from Tanzania.
With the heavy rains that have been going on for weeks In East Africa, 155 people have died and more than 10,000 houses have been destroyed in Tanzania alone since January. Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa mentioned these figures in parliament. In total, around 200,000 people were affected by the storms, he said.
The El Niño weather phenomenon had entered the rainy season in East Africa, which began at the end of March. Even in regions that usually only rarely experience rainfall, there was continuous rain. Many farmers in particular were affected because their animals drowned and their fields were flooded.
People in neighboring Kenya are also suffering from constant rain and its consequences. According to the Red Cross, 45 people have died so far. Tens of thousands had to flee the floods, roads were destroyed and bridges were under water.
The greater Nairobi area is one of the particularly hard-hit areas. The storm on Wednesday triggered a flood in the densely populated Mathare slum, killing 13 people. Red Cross helpers managed to save several dozen people from drowning.