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Rescue operations were continuing, and a special rescue squad from the Tanzania People's Defense Forces joined other security organs in the search and rescue efforts.
Local officials said on Monday that the death toll from flash floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains in northern Tanzania climbed to 49.
The death toll has risen from to 49 from 47 reported a day earlier after two more dead bodies had been recovered from mud, Manyara regional commissioner Queen Sendiga told reporters.
“We expect the death toll to rise as some people are still missing,” she said adding that "the number of injured persons is 85."
According to Sendiga, rescue operations were continuing, and a special rescue squad from the Tanzania People's Defense Forces joined other security organs in the search and rescue efforts on Sunday evening. "The rescue operations will continue throughout the night," she said.
Severe floods and landslides / mudslides in #Hanang District, Manyara Region, #Tanzania.
— FloodList (@FloodList) December 4, 2023
Officials report 49 dead, over 90 injured. Houses destroyed and hundreds of people left homeless. SAR teams working in the area. Figures likely to change.
��via @trcs1962 pic.twitter.com/uhiqj7CBSh
On earlier on Sunday, Sendiga stated that rescue efforts were underway to assist individuals trapped in the landslides on Hanang hills in the Hanang district of the Manyara region, as well as to retrieve bodies trapped in the debris. She identified Katesh town and the villages of Jorodom, Gendabi, Mogito and Gedan'gonyi as the most affected areas.
Describing the situation as "horrifying," Sendiga said that one village had been completely engulfed by mudflow, suggesting a potential rise in the number of casualties.
Moreover, Gabriel Mbogoni, a senior official from the Geological Survey of Tanzania, said that a team from the institution was en route to the area for investigations.
Sendiga urged the Prime Minister's Office, security agencies and the Ministry of Health to promptly deploy personnel and resources to the Manyara region to bolster relief efforts.
Hanang district in the Manyara region is predominantly inhabited by traditional livestock keepers. The region has a population of about 1.9 million, according to the 2022 population census.
According to official data, the Tanzania Meteorological Authority in August issued an advisory for the September-December rainfall season, warning that the season was more likely to be influenced by El Niño conditions. It also warned that the rains could have devastating consequences, including flooding and disruption of businesses and transport.
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