Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, grapples with widespread devastation as torrential rains lash the coastal city for two consecutive days.
Reports indicate the collapse of numerous houses, extensive damage to roads and bridges, particularly in neighbourhoods along rivers leading to the Indian Ocean.
Tragically, a woman has been swept away in the floods, and a child is reported missing, according to statements from local radio and distressed relatives.
The Kinondoni and Ilala districts bear the brunt of the destruction, leaving roads impassable and compelling some schoolchildren and workers to remain at home on Monday.
The impact is felt acutely at the city’s gateway bridge, crucial for access to the centre, including President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s official residence.
The bridge was rendered impassable on Sunday due to flooding, but water levels have receded, allowing movement.
As families assess the damage to their homes and strive to recover belongings, the Tanzania Meteorological Agency issues a warning of continued heavy rains throughout the month.
President Hassan urges residents to evacuate flood-prone areas, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
Though official casualty figures are yet to be disclosed, heart-wrenching accounts emerge through radio broadcasts.
A man shares the devastating loss of his wife swept away by the floods, while another family desperately searches for their missing son, unsure if he survived or is being cared for by others.
This catastrophe adds to the ongoing challenge of flooding in Tanzania, a recurring natural hazard affecting tens of thousands annually.
Just last month, more than 80 lives were lost in floods and landslides in the northern Hanang district, underscoring the urgent need for robust measures to address the country’s vulnerability to such disasters.
