Heavy rains wreak havoc in Dar, Zanzibar
Residents of Kiwalani suburb negotiate their way through a street filled with rain water following a downpour yesterday that pounded Dar es Salaam for three days. PHOTO | OMARI FUNGO
What you need to know:
- Meanwhile, Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) forecasted another round of heavy rains that will come with heavy winds and strong tide at the sea starting today.
Dar/Unguja. Ongoing rains wreaked havoc in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar yesterday, sending the city’s transport system to a standstill as some roads became impassable for up to six hours.
Meanwhile, Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) forecasted another round of down pours that will come with strong winds and tides at the sea starting today.
The situation will only end after four days.
The forecasted harsh weather condition will affect social and economic activities including fishing, transportation in Dar es Salaam, Coast, Tanga, Lindi, Mtwara,Unguja and Pemba.
A section of Morogoro Road was closed for about six hours, causing services under the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (Dart) to be suspended.
The road was only opened at around 13:08 hours at the advice of the Zonal Traffic Officer for the Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone, Mr Marson Mwakyoma.
“Normally, we conduct an analysis of the water levels. At that time, we realised that the vehicles would move easily and that was when we decided to re-open the road section,” he said.
The public relations officer for Udart, the company that operates the Dart, Mr Deus Bugaywa, said the company was still working out a plan to shift its vehicles from the water-lodged Jangwani Workshop. In Zanzibar, the rains destroyed a total of 141 houses in Unguja Urban District in Mwanakwerekwe, Tomondo, Ziwa Maboga, Ziwatuwe, Pangawe and Kinuni locations.
Unguja Urban District Commissioner Marina Joel Thomas ordered residents in the affected areas and those residing in flood-prone areas to relocate to safe sites.
