Floods in Tanzania
© Habarika2Floods in Tanzania
Five people have been reported dead while 13,933 residents from 3,095 homesteads have been left homeless due to floods caused by ongoing rains in four districts here.

The affected districts include Kilosa, Kilombero, Morogoro and Malinyi, according to Morogoro Regional Commissioner (RC), Dr Kebwe Steven Kebwe.

Apart from the deaths, Dr Kebwe said the downpour has devastated property, crops and roads, making many parts of the region unreachable by roads.

"A total of 315 houses have been destroyed, rendering 3,095 homesteads with 13,933 people without roofs over their heads in Kilosa, Kilombero, Morogoro and Malinyi districts," the RC announced here.

He explained further that the three people who were killed in Kilombero District were all students who were trying to cross a flooded river. Two people were killed in Morogoro District.

The rains, according to Dr Kebwe, started in the region on April 10. At Malinyi, a 94-kilometre road network linking Lupiro, Malinyi and Kilosa was badly damaged.

Ngombo Primary School in the district has remained closed since April 12 after its buildings were submerged in water.

In the same district, 6,000 hectares of paddy, maize and sunflowers have been washed away with floods. "There have been floods in Ulanga, Gairo and Mvomero districts but we have not received any report of devastation there.

I call upon well-wishers to support the affected families," he appealed.

Morogoro is among the regions which the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) had predicted would receive above normal rains during the long rainfall season spanning between March and May each year.