Prepare for March rains, TMA cautions

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA), has called upon various authorities to take necessary precautions in the upcoming rainy season that will begin in March and end in May, this year.

The Agency has said the rains, which will be of normal to above normal levels in most areas of the country, will result in various impacts that will require proper management systems to curb any threat to human beings.

The rains are expected to be above normal to normal over some parts of northern eastern highlands, normal to above normal over the eastern and southern eastern parts of the Lake Victoria basin as well as southern parts of the northern-eastern highlands, according to the agency.

The agency further says that the northern coast (Dar es Salaam, Coast together with Unguja and Pemba isles) are expected to feature normal to above normal rainfall. However, northern Morogoro areas are likely to feature suppressed rainfall.

Speaking to journalists yesterday in Dar es Salaam, the TMA director general, Dr Agnes Kijazi, said the rains, which are expected to start during the fourth week of February, will result in some positive impacts on agriculture, food security, fisheries and livestock production only if various authorities will take necessary precautions.

“Clean water supply and wastewater management infrastructure may be impacted, especially in areas expected to receive above normal to normal rains,” she said.