Heavy rainfall wreaks havoc in Tanzania's Arusha and Mbeya cities

Arusha/Mbeya. Arusha and Mbeya have been overwhelmed by floods as incessant rainfall persists across Tanzania.

A number of homes and shops have been inundated while bridges have been obstructed.

In some areas, vehicles have been swept away or severely damaged by the surging floodwaters.

In the Kisongo Area of Arumeru District, residents like Ms Tatu Kisaburi faced catastrophic losses as floodwaters engulfed their homes, leaving them with nothing. "We tried to open the door from the inside, but it wouldn't move. Water had already reached the middle of the door. We had to go back inside and climb onto the roof to flee from the disaster,” she recounts.

Though they managed to flee unhurt, everything in their house floated outside.

Another resident, Ms Lydia Mollel, narrated a heart-wrenching tale of how her infant was rescued after being tossed onto a tin roof to escape the deluge.

"I was sleeping with my little son when I saw water coming into the house. I started screaming for help," says Ms Mollel.

At that point, she added: "Someone called Omary remains to be our hero. Despite water reaching the neck, he managed to grab the kid from me, carried him on his head, and threw him onto the roof”.

Despite the perilous conditions, reports indicate that eight individuals managed to survive being swept away by the torrents in various parts of the region. However, the toll on property has been significant, with several vehicles and buildings suffering damage.

The Arusha Regional Fire and Rescue Commander, Mr Osward Manjejele, confirmed the extensive destruction caused by the floods, highlighting collapsed structures and ruined merchandise.

"My team has managed to rescue eight people and six vehicles. Different goods from shops located on the outskirts have been damaged as building walls collapsed," he said.

Meanwhile, in Mbeya, over 208 households in the Bugema One and Ilopa neighborhoods of Katumba Songwe Ward, Kyela District, have been forced to evacuate their homes due to the rising floodwaters.

According to village chairman Harod Mwakatundu, the flooding, triggered by heavy rains between March 29 and April 3, resulted in the overflow of Lake Nyasa and Songwe River. Villagers have sought refuge in temporary shelters along the shores of Lake Nyasa.

As the planting season commences, villagers face additional woes as their rice fields lie submerged, rendering hopes of a harvest bleak.

Calls for humanitarian assistance have been made by local authorities, emphasizing the urgent need for both material and financial aid to support flood victims in the affected regions.

Efforts to reach Kyela District Commissioner, Ms Josephine Manase, for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.