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| Flood Victims in Kahama District Tanzania |
More than 45 people died and 82 others severely injured when a heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds pounded three villages in Kahama District (North West region of Tanzania), Shinyanga Region for about three hours in the night of 3 March 2015, damaging houses, farms and properties.
According District Commissioner of Kahama Benson Mpyesa the deaths were mainly caused due to the delay of the rescue mission, taking the fact the catastrophe happened at night.
Information received from Kahama said that majority of the people who lost their lives are children and that there is a fear that the number casualties could rise. About 3,500 individuals from 500 households who are left homeless after their houses swept away by the floods.
It is said that the rains started at around 10:00 pm of Monday and continued in various parts of the region, but caused massive damages in the three villages of Kahama district.
According to the Region Commission (RC) of Shinyanga, Ally Rufunga the evaluation on the loss of properties is going on and will be announced in due course. “We are now busy attending the most affected people, as arrangements have started to have some of the bodies buried as soon as possible. They are in a very bad shape,” he said.
The RC was appealing for some relief as they are awaiting a response from the government after having communicated with the Prime Minister’s Office.
In the meantime, the local authorities mobilized more logistics and tents to accommodate the victims.
The Chief Medical Officer at Kahama District Hospital Joseph Ngowi, said that the health facility had received over 60 people who were injured and that three of them died while undergoing treatment.
SOURCE: Sarah Pelaji, Kiongozi Newspaper TEC.