Some of the poorest communities in Tanzania have been severely affected by flooding, with houses, crops and fields ruined by rising waters. Plan is on the ground distributing relief items to children and their families affected by this flooding.

Heavy rainfall in the Morogoro region has led to fast-flowing floods across the area, with around 600 people driven from their homes in Ifakara. They are now sheltering in primary school classrooms where there is no access to drinking water or food. Without adequate sanitation or mosquito nets, families taking shelters in the schools are at risk of diseases such as cholera and malaria.

The affected areas are now also at risk of being cut off from neighbouring areas as many of the roads are becoming impassable, with bridges in danger of collapsing. Emergency needs are extending to potable water, tents, food, mattresses and emergency healthcare.

The majority of the people affected are extremely poor, so it is likely that they have truly lost everything. Their meagre incomes come from small-scale farming and food production, but many fields have been ruined by the waters and family livelihoods are destroyed.

In other Plan areas of Kibaoni and Lumemo, people have been able to stay in their houses but their situation is uncertain.

Plan’s response

Plan has allocated $50,000 from the emergency fund to help families forced to abandon their homes empty-handed. We have already distributed insecticide-treated mosquito nets to prevent the spread of malaria. The distribution of additional relief items, including water purification tablets, mattresses, blankets and supplementary food rations is under way.