HEAVY rains lashed
several parts of the country yesterday, bringing businesses and
transport to a standstill as Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) issued
the
latest weather forecast alert.
TMA has warned Tanzanians to brace for more torrential rains which are expected to hit the country for the next five days.
In some regions,
businesses remained closed throughout the day while transport to and
from the commercial capital city of Dar es Salaam was suspended after
most roads were submerged by flash floods.
The weather
authority warned in its latest weather forecast that more torrential
rains are expected in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Manyara,
Dodoma, Morogoro, Tanga, Coast, Ruvuma, Njombe and Iringa.
"Heavy
precipitation are expected to cover some areas for the next five days,
therefore people should be prepared and stay alert, because potential
impact includes some settlements being surrounded by water, delay in
transport services, and closure of some economic and social activities,"
warned the weather body.
Dar es Salaam Bus
Rapid Transit (DART) was forced to suspend its services to and from city
centre due to heavy floods at Jangwani valley.
They advised
commuters to use the alternative road to access the city. Some regions
which their infrastructure was damaged and disrupted include Mbeya,
Morogoro, Ruvuma, Mwanza, Iringa, Shinyanga, Mbeya and Njombe.
Mbeya Regional
Commissioner, Albert Chalamila issued a warning to residents who are
still reluctant to move from flood-prone areas as directed by region
authority, saying it is for their own good.
"It is high time
you stop behaving foolishly for the sake of your own lives," he warned,
as passengers remained stranded at Lujewa-Madibila highway for three
days following the ongoing rains Most businesses remain closed in
Makoroboi market in Mwanza city due to rains as the area experienced
heavy floods.
TMA further warned
in its weather forecast for the next 24 hours starting at 9:00 pm,
Wednesday 4, this march that heavy precipitation is expected over some
areas of Mbeya, Iringa, Njombe, Ruvuma and South of Morogoro regions.
The Agency said the
rains, which will be of normal to above normal levels in most areas of
the country, will result in various impacts that will require proper
management systems to curb any threat to human beings.
It further
highlighted the March to May 2020 rains are likely to be normal to above
normal over Tanga region, Unguja and Pemba islands, as well as most
areas of Arusha, Manyara and Kilimanjaro regions, together with eastern
parts of Geita, Mwanza, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Mara and eastern parts of
Geita region.
Kagera and western
parts of Geita region, northern parts of Kigoma region, Dar es Salaam,
Pwani (including the Island of Mafia) and northern parts of Morogoro
region are likely to experience below normal rains, reports TMA.
Meanwhile, Prime
Minister Kassim Majaliwa has instructed the Tanzania People's Defence
Force (TPDF) to send troops and support the workforce in construction of
Mkange-Kiyegea Bridge together with Tanzania National Roads Agency
(Tanroads) engineers from Morogoro and Dodoma, which links Morogoro and
Dodoma roads.
He urged TPDF to
set up strong bridges that would withstand trucks and other vehicles to
eliminate congestion as they seek to complete the construction of the
bridge by tomorrow so that normal services can resume.
Speaking to
stranded drivers and passengers in the area, he told them not to fear
using the bridge after construction is complete.
He added that the
government is making every effort to ensure the service returns to
normal immediately so that travellers can continue their trips as usual.
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