Floods have killed 58 people over the last two weeks in Tanzania.
The death toll was announced by the government on late Sunday as heavy rains continueo spike up the country.
April marks the peak of Tanzania’s rainy season, and has been made worse this year by the El Nino phenomenon, which has caused floods and droughts all across.
“From April 1 to April 14, 2024, there were 58 deaths caused by the heavy rains, which led to flooding,” government spokesman Mobhare Matinyi told a press briefing, stressing that the country’s coastal region was one of the worst affected.
“Serious flood effects are experienced in the coast region where 11 people have so far died,” he added.
The country has plans to construct 14 dams to prevent flooding in future, the spokesman said.
At least 63 people were killed during floods in northern Tanzania that also triggered devastating landslides,four months ago.
On Friday, eight school children drowned after their bus plunged into a flooded gorge in the north of the country. A volunteer in the rescue operations also died.
Overall, at least 126,831 people were affected by the flooding, Matinyi reported.
More than 75,000 farms have been damaged in the coastal and Morogoro areas – about 200km (124 miles) west of the economic capital, Dar-es-Salaam.
Food and other basic necessities have been distributed to those affected.
Infrastructure has also been damaged and those living in flood-prone areas are being urged to move.
