More than 50,000 people affected by massive flooding that continues to batter more than 6 regions in Tanzania need emergency assistance immediately, said the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). An emergency appeal seeking 1,661,937 Swiss Francs(1,598,016 US Dollar, 1,122,930 Euros) has been launched by the IFRC to support Tanzania Red Cross provide emergency shelter and water and sanitation to 23,000 people over the next four months.
Over 20,000 people have been left homeless, 10 fatalities have been confirmed and more than 2,000 homes completely engulfed in the rising waters.
Tanzania Red Cross’s Disaster Management Coordinator, Joseph Kimaryo said the situation is getting worse as more areas like Shinyanga, Mwanza and Arusha are now flooding.
“Shelter and food needs have been intensified by the escalating floods. From the onset, the Red Cross has been the only humanitarian agency active on the ground distributing relief items such family tents, blankets, mosquito nets, cooking sets and water purification tablets. But now our resources are stretched,” Kimaryo said.
Starting three weeks ago, the heavy downpour attributed to the current El-Nino conditions, caused the bursting of the banks of River Mkondoa that meanders through a number of regions such as Dodoma and Morogoro in Eastern Tanzania.
This has led to the destruction of hundreds of acres of farming and pasture land increasing food insecurity and damaging livelihoods. Infrastructure also suffered extensive damage with roads, connecting bridges and the country’s main railway line washed away hampering the relief distribution as well as nation’s transportation system.
In Kilosa, one of the hardest hit areas in Morogoro, more than 4,000 families have been displaced and accommodated in 23 makeshift camps. Schools have been turned to evacuation centres causing the delay of a new term for hundreds of school going children.
Using some 326,078 Swiss Francs (322,849 US Dollars/215,945 Euro) released from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF), the Red Cross has been striving to meet the immediate needs of more than 5,000 most vulnerable families.
“Conditions in the locations where the displaced are currently gathered are extremely basic and without appropriate water supply and sanitation facilities. Hundreds of cases of Malaria and Acute Water Diarrhoea have been treated as fears of a Cholera outbreak remain.
Many of the affected areas are still fragile as the region’s annual rains are expected to continue through April,” said Brennan Banks, the IFRC’s Disaster Operations Manager.
The country’s military stepped in to help rebuild the roads and temporary shelter at relocation sites.