3 killed as heavy rains wreak havoc

People cross a flooded section of Morogoro Road at Jangwani in Dar es Salaam yesterday following almost 24 hours of continuous heavy rainfall. Youths made a killing carrying people across the raging floodwaters for between Sh500 and Sh2,000. More pictures on Page 4. PHOTO | SAID KHAMIS      

By Henry Mwangonde and Saumu Mwalimu, The Citizen Reporters

In Summary

Accompanied by lightning and strong winds, the rain brought most businesses to a standstill. Many residents could not reach their workplaces. 

Dar es Salaam. At least three people have died here and many others have been displaced in two days of heavy rains that started on Wednesday.

The downpour led to massive damage to infrastructure, particularly the roads.

Accompanied by lightning and strong winds, the rain brought most businesses to a standstill. Many residents could not reach their workplaces.

As many roads were rendered impassable, transport was paralysed and people spent many hours in traffic jams, and police had to step in to manage the crisis.

Hundreds of residents of the city fled their flooded homes and sought shelter elsewhere.

The areas that were hard hit included Tegeta, Kawe, Sinza, Msasani, Masaki, Oysterbay, Kinondoni, Tandale, Mbezi and Kimara.

In Jangwani, Kariakoo, Kigogo, Buguruni, Ilala Sharif Shamba and Tabata Dar es Salaam residents paid the price of clogged drainage systems and roads, for many homes were submerged in raging water, causing untold suffering to everybody.

Regional Commissioner Said Meck Sadick confirmed the death of a two-year-old at Machimbo Makangarawe.

The child was swept away by raging water while an elderly man died on Wednesday night.

The body of the child who drowned hadn’t been yet recovered as we went to press.

“We are continuing with an assessment to establish the actual level of damage,” Mr Sadick said, “but initial reports have confirmed that more than 38 houses in Kigamboni have been totally submerged.”

According to the commissioner, people took shelter in several schools. The rains led to the temporary closure of Jangwani and Fire stretch along Morogoro Road after the floods rose above Jangwani Bridge.