Heavy rains batter Dar city, damage roads, stall business

Dar es Salaam. Unusual heavy rains that pounded Dar es Salaam City for hours yesterday disrupted transport and slowed down business activities as key roads remained closed for hours to let floods calm.

The rains that started early morning forced authorities to close Jangwani section of the Morogoro Road that was submerged while at Tabata residents were forced to use alternative ways to access Mandela Road as Chama, Mwananchi and Bonde la Mchicha bridges were flooded. The rains have severely damaged road infrastructure in many areas and washed away bridges.

Houses surrounded by water

City dwellers who live in flood prone areas of had to find refuge elsewhere as their houses were flooded by water.

The Citizen witnessed some Tandale residents removing properties from their houses engulfed in water.

Similar situation was witnessed many other parts of the city. The rain washed away properties. A 20-feet container was swept away from a container depot located at Tabata Mwananchi.

The situation was also bad in Kigogo, Msimbazi, Jangwani, Mwananyamala, Sinza, Vingunguti, Magomeni makuti, Tabata Kimanga, Kinondoni, Mbagala na Buguruni as many traders failed to open business.

“I have lived here for over 12 years but I haven’t experienced this (floods). When the rain started I had already left the house and when I came back I found it flooded; I couldn’t serve any of my properties,” said a Tandale resident, Iddi Mkwawa.

There was no reports of death or injuries as we went to press.

The Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) forecasted heavy rains would pound in Dar es Salaam, Rukwa, Mbeya, Songwe, Iringa, Njombe, Ruvuma, Lindi and Mtwara.

The fire and rescue brigade later urged Dar es Salaam residents who are living in lowlands to evacuate.

The brigade used public announcement vehicles to issue the warning. The fire and rescue brigade operation manager Mr Isack Njombe said the rains have wreaked havoc as most of the streets in the city were flooded. According to him, the authorities have been forced to close some of the roads.

TMA has forecasted normal and above normal rains will pound in several parts of the country between November 2019 and April 2020.

A survey by The Citizen established that there was a few number of customers at Kariakoo, the city’s largest market, due to the rain.

One of the traders at Kariakkoo Ester John who sells handbags says she experienced one of the worst days of her business as customers were no where to be seen.

“I am waiting for the rains to stop so that I can establish the damage, I am devastated, said a trader, Shukurani Kandoro, at Tabata Mwananchi.

However, some people capitalised on the flood and infrastructure damage by carrying people on their back to cross over flooded areas at Sh1,000 pay.