Torrential rain and flooding in Tanzania have caused 155 deaths and 236 injuries while affecting more than 200,000 others, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told parliament on Thursday.
"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. He urged people living in low-lying areas to move to higher ground, and he urged local governments to ensure that supplies go to those who have lost their homes. He said more than 51,000 households have been affected to some degree.
The prime minister also said "environmental degradation" contributed to the destruction. He blamed deforestation, unsustainable farming practices and unregulated livestock grazing.
El Nino, a naturally occurring climate pattern associated with increased temperatures worldwide, has worsened the abnormally heavy rainfall hitting the East African region. In March, the United Nations' World Meteorological Organization said the 2023-24 El Nino was one of the five strongest ever recorded.
The rain has caused flooding, destroying roads and other important infrastructure in several countries in the region, including Kenya and Burundi.
In Kenya, 35 people were reported dead because of the flooding. That was the toll as of Monday, and it is expected to rise as the flooding continues. Some parts of Nairobi remained under water as of Thursday, with more rain in the forecast.
In Burundi, about 96,000 people have been displaced by months of relentless rains, according to reports from the United Nations and the government earlier this month.
Farther north in Somalia, the U.N. humanitarian agency said the April-to-June rains have been intensifying since flash floods were reported April 19.
Deadly flooding is not uncommon in the region.
More than 300 people died late last year in heavy rains and floods in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia as the region was trying to recover from its worst drought in four decades that left millions of people hungry.
From late 1997 to early 1998, massive floods left more than 6,000 people dead in five countries in the region.
While El Nino is slowly weakening after peaking in December, it will still affect weather patterns in the coming months.
Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse and The Associated Press.
