Heavy rainfall, driven by the El Nino climate pattern, has caused significant destruction in East Africa, with 155 people confirmed dead in Tanzania due to flooding and landslides, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa announced on Thursday.
Tanzania and other East African countries, known for their vulnerability to climate change, have experienced relentless downpours this rainy season, leading to loss of life and widespread damage.
Kenya has also suffered, with dozens of fatalities reported.
According to Majaliwa, more than 51,000 households and 200,000 people in Tanzania have been impacted by the severe weather.
He detailed that the torrential rains have not only claimed 155 lives but have also injured 236 people.
“The heavy El Nino rains, accompanied by strong winds, floods, and landslides in various parts of the country, have caused significant damage,” Majaliwa told parliament in Dodoma, Tanzania’s capital.
He added that the rains have wreaked havoc on crops, homes, property, and infrastructure, disrupting roads, bridges, and railways.
El Nino, a natural climate phenomenon, is associated with various weather extremes, including increased global heat, drought in some regions, and intense rainfall in others.
It has had a profound impact in East Africa, as evidenced by the deadly flooding.
In neighboring Burundi, among the world’s poorest nations, approximately 96,000 people have been displaced by continuous rainfall.
Meanwhile, in Kenya, around 45 people have lost their lives since the beginning of the rainy season in March, with 13 victims from recent flash floods in Nairobi.
In response to the crisis, Kenyan President William Ruto held an emergency multi-agency meeting to address the chaos caused by flooding in Nairobi, where roads and bridges have been submerged, and slum areas inundated.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua assured citizens that “the government… will do whatever it takes, apply all the required resources in terms of money and personnel to make sure that lives are not lost and the people of Kenya are protected from this disaster.”
In Somalia, the UN humanitarian response agency OCHA reported that the Gu (April to June) rains are intensifying, with flash floods affecting more than 800 people across the country.
The persistent heavy rains have compounded problems for East Africa, which experienced its worst drought in four decades last year, resulting in widespread hunger and hardship.
Despite signs that El Nino is weakening, its effects are expected to linger, potentially leading to higher temperatures and unpredictable weather in the coming months.
As the region struggles to recover from extreme climate events, the ongoing humanitarian response will be crucial to mitigate further loss of life and damage.
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