The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
13 November 2009
As residents of Goha Village in Same District began burying the victims of Tuesday's deadly mudslides, El Ni-o-driven rains continued to cause havoc in various parts of the country yesterday.
Heavy rains flooded villages and swept away bridges in Morogoro and Dodoma regions.
Hundreds of travellers were stranded for hours on end in Kibaigwa, Dodoma Region, after a downpour that started on Wednesday night swept away bridges in the area.
One of the travellers told The Citizen by telephone that no vehicle could cross the flooded section of the Dodoma-Morogoro highway.
Elsewhere, Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner Monica Mbega criticised residents of the village affected by the mudslide for not reporting the precarious condition of the nearby hills.
At least 20 people were killed at Goha Village on Tuesday night in a mudslide triggered by heavy rains, which lashed the area for three days.
Ms Mbega said yesterday that villagers noticed last year that a section of the hills was about to collapse but did not bother to take any precautions, including reporting the looming danger to the relevant authorities.
She made the remarks as she was leading rescue efforts and the burial of bodies that had been recovered.
She said villagers said they noticed huge cracks on the hillside, which, however, "disappeared" earlier this year.
Ms Mbega, who is also the Iringa Urban MP, said something would have been done to avert Tuesday's disaster had the information been relayed to district and regional authorities.
The bodies of 19 adults and a toddler were recovered from the smashed village on Wednesday. The search for survivors and more bodies continued yesterday.
President Jakaya Kikwete sent his condolences to the Kilimanjaro RC following Tuesday's disaster.
"My heart and prayers are with the families which have lost their loved ones, and all those who have been touched and affected by the incident," he said.
President Kikwete directed regional and district commissioners to take the necessary precautions to prevent similar incidents.
Other leaders who sent their condolences included Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives minister Stephen Wassira and Communications, Science and Technology deputy minister Maua Daftari.
Ms Mbega said during the burial of the victims that her office had provided Sh2 million to foot burial costs.
Same District Commissioner Ibrahim Marwa asked the Government to send geologists to assess the stability of hills in the area following the incessant rains.
He said a similar incident occurred in Hedaru Township in Same District, but there were no casualties.
Same West MP Mathayo David, who is also the Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives deputy minister, was also present during the burials.
Many of those killed were from the same families. Among the dead were a man, his wife and their four children. Another family lost seven members.
The Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) could not alert residents of the village because it failed to forecast the rains.
The TMA deputy director of forecast services, Mr Matitu Mohammed, said yesterday that the agency could not issue a forecast for the area on Tuesday because the office collecting the data needed to make forecasts was far from the affected area.
He said, however, that the rains which caused the mudslide were not associated with the El Ni-o phenomenon, which the agency forecast earlier this year.
"These are just short rains, popularly known as vuli, they are not El Ni-o rains," he said.
In Kilosa District, at least 3,000 people were displaced after their homes were flooded.
The floods were blamed on the swollen Mkondoa River, which burst its banks after heavy rainfall pounded the area for several hours.
Mkondoa Primary School was closed after it was almost totally submerged in floodwaters. Pupils at the school were moved to nearby schools.
Kilosa District Commissioner Halima Dendegu said the area was prone to flooding, adding that she had asked for assistance from regional authorities and the Government.
She said Sh40 million in emergency funds was needed to alter the course of Mkondoa River after it burst its banks.
Area MP Mustafa Mkulo, who is also the Finance minister, donated Sh5 million to be used in reinforcing the river's banks.
Morogoro Regional Commissioner Issa Machibya visited the area, and told the affected residents that the Prime Minister's Office had been informed and was looking for funds needed to assist them.
Reported by Daniel Mjema and Rehema Matowo in Same; Jimmy Mengele in Kilosa, and Makoba Hassan and Thomas Ludovick in Dar
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