Tanzania's Mara region hit by heavy rains: 3 dead, bridge swept away

Heavy rains are wreaking havoc in a number of areas, with reports showing that in Tarime, Mara Region, three people have died after they were swept away by running water following the collapsing of a bridge at Msati River.

The bridge which creates a shortcut to travellers between Musoma and Sirari collapsed on Saturday following heavy rains that are falling in the area.

The commander for Tarime / Rorya Special Police Zone, Mr William Mkonda told The Citizen yesterday that the three were trying to cross the bridge at around 7:45pm on Saturday when the accident occurred.

“They were not aware that the bridge had been swept away, so when they tried to step on it, they actually fell into the running water…,” he said.

The bodies of the three had been recovered and were being kept at the morgue at Tarime Hospital for their relatives to go and identify them.

The collapsing of the bridge means that residents around the area have up to three kilometres more to travel because they nowbhave to go as far as Tarime Urban before they continue with their journey to Musoma or Sirari.

Experts from the Mara Region- al Office of Tanzania Roads Agency who are led by Regional Man- ager, Felix Ngaile were already on the site in an effort to reconnect the area.

In Kilimanjaro, residents of Mandaka mnono area in Moshi, are finding the going tough as their area remains partly flooded to the extent that some students failed to go to school.

‘The situation is so bad that a good number of students at Saningo Primary School failed to attend classes while the Mandaka Dispensary was also surrounded by floods,” said the Mandaka village chairman, Mr Emmanuel Temba.

In Chalinze, Coast Region, some residents found themselves homeless due to heavy rains.

The weatherman says residents of eight regions should expect no mercy from heaven these five days because heavy rains would continue falling in their areas.

Yesterday, the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) said residents of Tanga, Dar es Salaam, Coast (including Mafia Island), Morogoro, Lindi, Mtwara, Unguja and Pemba.

Yesterday’s forecast was a continuation of what the weather- man had predicted on Sunday when it said 10 regions of Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Lindi, Mtwara, Unguja, Njombe, Ruvuma, Iringa, Ugunja and Pemba islands would experience heavy rains that would be characterized by flooding in some areas.

TMA said some areas in several regions will be occupied with floods that might cause destruction of infrastructure.