AfricaPress-Tanzania: MORE than 30 houses have been destroyed, leaving hundreds of residents in Mji Mpya and Msaranga wards within Moshi municipality in Kilimanjaro region homeless.
People were seen carrying their remaining belongings in the flooded areas of Mji Mpya, where they urged the government to look for ways to prevent such calamities in the future.
The Moshi District Commissioner (DC), Mr Kippi Warioba was among leaders who visited the affected areas.
A disabled widow with living in Kwa Komba area within Mji Mpya ward and her two children survived death by a whisker after the house they were living in was submerged in water during the ongoing rains.
Speaking to ‘Daily News’, the widow, Anna Mwakitete (71), said life will never be the same following the difficult conditions she lives with her children. Both Ms Mwakitete and her two children are disabled.
“My seven-room house has been destroyed by the floods, the toilet and bathrooms have all been destroyed, how am I going to live here with my two children who are also disabled? Mind you I lost my husband two years ago,” said the tearful Mwakitete.
Speaking on the disaster, the Mji Mpya ward Councilor, Abuu Shayo, said the three day rainfall destroyed more than 30 houses and many others have been submerged in water, with many residents displaced.
Mr Shayo added that many people’s belongings, including rickshaws (Bajaji), a pick up vehicle, unknown number of commuter motorbikes (bodaboda), chicken, sheep, pigs and goats were swept away by the strong currents of the floods.
The ‘Daily News’ witnessed members of the fire brigade rescuing people, including six young children who had climbed trees and on top of roofs of the submerged houses to save their dear lives after the floods surrounded their homes.
Former Moshi Urban Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Joseph Mtui, who resides in Msaranga area, said the rains were of its kind, with damages caused never seen in the area before.
“I have stayed in this area for more than 60 years now, flooding of this scale is unprecedented here; it seems the three days rainfall caused the ground to be saturated, causing these heavy floods”, he said.
Mr Mtui urged relevant authorities to take it as a lesson and look for flood control methods which could be used to reduce or even prevent such detrimental situation in the future.
Mr Warioba, on the other hand said the District Government had already started addressing the challenges facing residents of the areas which have been affected by the floods after visiting the areas.
“I have already visited the affected areas, a lot of damage has been caused by the floods, including many people being displaced.
I have already directed disaster experts from my office to work in collaboration with members of the Red Cross to assess the impact of the incidents and the immediate essential needs for those affected so that immediate action could be taken, including providing emergency shelter for those who have lost their homes,” he said.
