DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — Torrential rains have sparked devastating landslides in southern Tanzania, claiming at least 20 lives over recent days, according to local officials, adding to a mounting death toll across the broader East African region.
The deadly slides occurred early Wednesday morning in the Mbeya region, destroying multiple homes as intense rainfall combined with powerful winds, according to Jaffar Haniu, who serves as administrator for Rungwe district where the disaster struck.
“The death toll now stands at 20,” he told reporters. “One victim is a very young child, a year and a half old.”
Weather forecasters are predicting additional rainfall in coming days, prompting Haniu to issue urgent evacuation warnings for residents living in areas susceptible to landslides.
The crisis extends beyond Tanzania’s borders. In nearby Kenya, where seasonal flooding occurs annually, the death toll has reached at least 88 people. The deluge has impacted 21 counties throughout the country, with a minimum of two rivers overflowing their banks since intense storms began this month.
The magnitude and severity of the ongoing emergency has sparked fresh discussions about disaster readiness and the precarious situation facing communities situated near waterways and flood-susceptible regions. Military forces have been called in to support emergency response teams.
Earlier in March, southern Ethiopia experienced its own landslide catastrophe, resulting in at least 80 deaths.
The Climate Prediction and Applications Centre, part of the regional organization IGAD, issued a forecast last month indicating the March through May rainy season carries a 45% probability of exceeding normal precipitation levels throughout most regional nations, spanning from Uganda to Djibouti.
