Vice President Dr Mohamed Gharib Bilal yesterday visited the area and pledged government support and relief aid.
Dr Bilal said rescue teams will be deployed to the area with immediate effect to provide necessary assistance to the victims.
Speaking on the same matter yesterday at his office, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Said Meck Sadick announced government plans to disinfect the stagnant flood waters to protect the residents from waterborne diseases. Other than the heavy rain storm, the RC attributed the floods to poor house planning citing that most of the affected houses are built along the storm water drainage system.
‘We were even forced to pull down one of the houses after surveyors said it was blocking water flow,” he said.
“The area is among the few places in Dar es Salaam with poor water infrastructures…so far there are more than 500 houses partially submerged in the flood waters,” the RC added urging city dwellers residing in flood prone areas such as the Msimbazi creek to relocate promptly.
RC Sadick said the government will not extend any type of assistance to people living in lowlands since they have been reminded repeatedly to relocate but they stubbornly refuse to heed the advice.
“The government has even provided them with land plots on the outskirts of the city but they have been reluctant to leave these vulnerable areas,” he explained.
Speaking at the same conference, a local government leader of the area, Ahmad Abdulfaris expressed gratitude for efforts done by the government since the floods hit their area on March 20th, this year.
As result of the rains and floods, Dar es Salaam special zone police commander, Suleiman Kova has confirmed the death of at least five people in Dar es Salaam.
He also clarified that the reported deaths of two people that occurred yesterday morning in Kimara Dar es Salaam were not caused by the floods.
“The two died after touching one of the wires that was connected to a fallen electricity pole after it was knocked down by a car,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Civic United Front (CUF) National Chairman, Prof Ibrahim Lipumba visited the flood victims at Buguruni kwa Mnyamani. He was critical of the government over what he described as ‘failure to take action while they are aware of the water drainage problem in the area.’
Prof Lipumba donated 500,000/- to the victims and called on the government to provide all the necessary requirements to them.
Heavy rains have for the last few weeks been pounding most of the country as forecasted by the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA). In Dar es Salaam Region, the rains started on Friday last week and have since left many houses in different parts of the city submerged.
TMA issued another warning this past weekend saying the heavy rains will persist in various parts of the country until tomorrow.
TMA Director General, Dr Agnes Kijazi said Tanzanians should continue taking all necessary precautions citing regions likely to experience the heavy downpours to including Dar es Salaam, Lindi, Mtwara, Coast and Unguja Island.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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