Tanzania: Flash Floods - Jan 2014

Situation Overview

The 2014/2015 Southern African rainfall season, which stretches from October to May , saw severe floods in the east of the region. The remainder of the region experienced poor rains that were late to arrive and irregular.

Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar were hit by multiple floods between December 2014 and April 2015 (accounting for 97% of all flood affected people) . A total of 10 tropical storm systems were monitored during the season, with tropical storms Chedza and Fundi affecting Madagascar in early 2015.

A. Situation analysis

Description of the disaster

Heavy rains caused flash floods in Morogoro region, located approximately 270 kilometres West of Dar es Salaam, between 22 and 23 January, 2014. The rains which fell upstream in the regions of Tanga, Dodoma and Manyara overwhelmed the river banks downstream, especially Mkundi River, resulting in disastrous flash floods in 3 districts namely Kilosa, Mvomero and Gairo in Morogoro region.

A. Situation analysis

Description of the disaster

Heavy rains caused flash floods in Morogoro region, located approximately 270 kilometres West of Dar es Salaam, between 22 and 23 January, 2014. The rains which fell upstream in the regions of Tanga, Dodoma and Manyara overwhelmed the river banks downstream, especially Mkundi River, resulting in disastrous flash floods in 3 districts namely Kilosa, Mvomero and Gairo in Morogoro region.

Situation Overview

During the 2013/2014 rainfall season (October 2013 - May 2014), severe weather events caused flooding in several Southern African countries, with almost all affected by some level of flooding. Nine tropical cyclones were recorded during the season, compared to the seasonal average of ten, of which three made landfall: Hellen, Amara and Deliwe. A total of 383,256 people were affected and 117 deaths reported. 195,000 USD was issued in the form of OCHA emergency cash grants to assist in response activities.

Summary:

Heavy rains caused flash floods in Morogoro region, located approximately 270 kilometres West of Dar Es Salaam, between 22nd and 23rd January, 2014. The rains which fell upstream in the regions of Tanga, Dodoma and Manyara overwhelmed the river banks downstream, especially Mkundi river, resulting in disastrous flash floods in three districts of Morogoro region, namely, Kilosa, Mvomero and Gairo.

Tanzania Red Cross continues to lead in the humanitarian services sector in the country

It has just completed constructing 400 temporary shelters, 100 pit latrines and kitchen halls for over 2000 people displaced by floods in Kilosa district Morogoro Region in the month of January.

The affected wards of Matete and Magoli were the most areas affected by floods in January owing to heavy downpour in the neighbouring districts.

By Kizito Makoye

DAR ES SALAAM, Feb 18 2014 (IPS) - Residents in low-lying areas in Tanzania’s largest city, Dar es Salaam, are potentially at risk of contracting waterborne diseases as heavy rains, which started last week, continue to pound the city.

Early this month, the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) announced that Dar es Salaam was among the areas in northern and southern Tanzania that would receive above-average rainfall and strong winds in the coming weeks, and urged residents to take precautions.

Highlights

− Heavy rains cause floods in several parts of the region in January

− Elevated flood risk for central parts of the region in the month of February

− Armyworm outbreaks pose a threat to food security in central parts of the region

− Water supply challenges faced in areas where poor rainfall performance continues

Namibia:
A cholera outbreak has been reported in Katutura on the edge of Windhoek, including 11 suspected cholera cases, 3 confirmed cases and 1 death reported.

The poor WASH conditions and open defecation is of concern. Katutura had a population 43,109 in the 2011 census, although unofficial records suggest around 200,000 inhabitants due to immigration, which has been exacerbated by drought conditions.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

· Good rains received in December and early January significantly reduced earlier rainfall deficits experienced in the central parts of the region. Although much later than normal, rains were finally received in southern Malawi, parts of eastern Zambia, and central/northern Mozambique, thus enabling the planting of crops. Poor rainfall continues to negatively affect drought-stricken parts of southwestern Angola.

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

• Erratic “vuli” season rains affected cereal production in some northern bimodal areas

• Favourable outlook for 2014 “msimu” crops

• Maize prices stable or increasing but lower than twelve months earlier

• Favourable food security conditions with pockets of food insecurity where localized production shortfalls occurred

Mozambique:
High river levels continue to be recorded in districts in the Buzi Basin in the central province of Sofala. Some villages have been cut off, 1,057 houses surrounded by water,12 houses severely damaged, 5,479 people affected, and 178 households are being housed in accommodation centres. Small-scale flooding has also recently affected 75 people in Maputo Province and 30 people in Cabo Delgado Province. District and provincial authorities in collaboration with HCT partners are providing assistance to the affected families.

A. Situation analysis

Description of the disaster

During the night of 21st January 2014, heavy rains caused flash floods in Dumila/Dakawa area in Morogoro region, located approximately 270 kms West of Dar Es Salaam City. Initial information received on 22nd January reported of population displacements, extensive damages to infrastructure (roads, bridges, houses, schools, other public and religious buildings), and fields for crops. One person has been reported dead so far.

Heavy rains over central Tanzania on 21 and 22 January 2014 caused flooding in the districts of Kilosa, Mvomero and Gairo. An estimated 13,557 people have been affected, with 2,922 houses flooded. Damage to infrastructure, farms and food stocks have also been reported.

Madagascar:

On 25 January 2014 Hery Rajaonarimampianina was sworn in as the new President of Madagascar.
Just hours after the inauguration, at a bus stop a few hundred meters from a concert that had been organized to celebrate the inauguration, a grenade explosion killed 3 people and injured 51 people, 26 of whom have since been discharged from hospital. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack and an investigation is ongoing.

Tanzania:

Parts of central Tanzania have been declared disaster areas following floods.

 Enhanced rains continue across parts of northern Mozambique and Madagascar, sustaining the risk for localized flooding.

1) Portions of Tanzania have experienced below average seasonal rainfall since late November. Poorly distributed rains since early December have also led to developing dry conditions in the Morogoro and Pwani provinces further east. The anomalous dryness has already negatively impacted vegetation conditions in the region.

 Average to above-average rainfall continues across southeastern Africa, replenishing ground moisture for many parts of Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

 A large scale suppression of rainfall over southwestern Africa is expected to provide some relief to saturated ground conditions across the Caprivi Strip region.

Highlights

− Rainfall performance improved significantly in December 2013

− Sowing rains received in all major grain producing areas by end of December

− Improvement in vegetation conditions observed in many parts of the region

− Food situation likely to get worse in Zimbabwe as authorities battle to address food shortages

− River levels rise in the Zambezi basin, but remain below alert levels

− Cholera outbreak in Northern Namibia

− Diarrhoeal diseases claim dozens of lives in Zimbabwe