155 dead, 236 injured as torrential rains hit Tanzania

DODOMA, Tanzania | Xinhua | Flash floods caused by ongoing torrential rains have left 155 dead and 236 others injured in Tanzania, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told parliament on Thursday.

Flash floods have been reported in 14 out of the 26 regions in mainland Tanzania, affecting 200,000 people and damaging 10,000 houses, Majaliwa told the House in the capital, Dodoma.

School infrastructure, farm crops, roads, bridges, health facilities, and livestock were impacted by the floods, he said.

The government has taken steps aimed at preventing further catastrophic situations, like ordering the closure of schools in areas severely affected by the floods, Majaliwa said.

The Tanzania National Roads Agency, the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency, and the Tanzania Railways Corporation have been ordered to undertake an urgent assessment of damaged roads and railways for immediate renovation, he said.

The heavy rains, influenced by El-Nino conditions, are expected to last through May, according to the Tanzania Meteorological Authority. ■