Tanzania: Rain Renders about 4,000 Homeless

At least 4,000 people have been left homeless after a heavy down pour in Muleba district in Tanzania. The heavy rains that were accompanied by heavy winds lasted for an hour and caused tremendous damage.

According to Muleba's District commissioner,Angelina Mabulla, at least at 1,771 acres of land used agriculture was destroyed in the rains. Roofs of houses , schools , churches and mosques were pulled off by the rain.

Relief food is now needed to help the victims affected by the rains. At least 184 tonnes of maize and 110 tones of beans are needed in order to deal with the emergency.

Efforts to rescue those who were affected are in progress. The police are using sniffer dogs to assist in recovering bodies buried in the mud.

This incident comes just two weeks after a landslide hit Goha village in Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro province, leaving at least 20 people dead.

Much of Eastern Africa has faced serious drought for the past two years, and the much awaited rains has come in the form of torrential El Niño downpours. [CK]