GLIDE no. FL-2008-000011-TZA
CHF 88,353 (USD 81,012 or EUR 55,648) has been allocated from the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Tanzania Red Cross National Society (TNRCS) in assisting some 7,500 affected people in Tanzania floods.
Summary: Areas of western, southwest and parts of the coastal province of Tanzania (Rukwa, Kigoma, Ruvuma, Pwani) have been receiving seasonal rains normal to above normal. Heavy downpours have been reported in Sumbawanga municipal in Rukwa region where three suburbs of Izia, Katandala and Sumbawanga are the most affected.
Assessment reports have indicated that a total of 1,117 families are in need of assistance in basic items to sustain their living; blankets, water buckets, insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), laundry soap and construction items to the most vulnerable families including women-headed families and people living with HIV (PLWHIV).
This operation is expected to be implemented over 3 month, and will therefore be completed by 18 April, 2008; a Final Report will be made available three months after the end of the operation.
The situation
Areas of western, coastal and southwest of Tanzania such as Rukwa, Kigoma, Ruvuma, Pwani have recently experienced heavy rains. Torrential downpours started on 10 January, and this rainfall pattern is expected to prevail over Sumbawanga municipality in Rukwa Region (where the three suburbs of Izia, Katandala and Sumbawanga are the most affected). One death of a four year old child has been reported, two people suffered serious injuries, and 133 houses have been severely damaged rendering more than 90 families (442 people) homeless/displaced. The majority are staying with relatives and friends. Between 13 and 14 January, another heavy downpour of more than 74mm (the highest calibration according to meteorological authorities) occurred in Kigoma lasting for two consecutive days. The rains affected mainly three localities of Mwanga, Businde and Ujiji where 45 houses completely collapsed and about 910 others houses had massive cracks in walls. Approximately 4,775 people were affected and the drainage system was damaged. Some 100 displaced families are staying with relatives and friends. During the same period another heavy downpour was reported in Utete (Rufiji) in Pwani Region where one death occurred and 22 houses had their roof sections blown off or caved in. A week before, similar downpours occurred in Ruvuma (south-western Tanzania) during which about 56 house roofs were blown away. As a result, 250 people are taking refuge with relatives. The Ruvuma Region borders Mozambique while Rukwa Region shares borders with Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Kigoma Region borders the DRC and Burundi. The number of the affected is shown the table below:
Affected communities in 4 provinces
(Source: Tanzania Red Cross National Society)
Province | Affected Locations
| Affected Households
| Injured People | Deaths |
| Rukwa | Izia, Katandala, Sumbawanga | 90 | 2 | 1 |
| Kigoma | Mwanga, Businde, Ujiji | 955 | 12 | 0 |
| Ruvuma | Tunduru | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| Pwani | Utete | 22 | 1 | 1 |
Contingency stocks | 383 | |||
Total | 1,500 | 15 | 2 | |
For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:
In Tanzania: Adam Kimbisa, Secretary General, Tanzania Red Cross National Society, Dar es Salaam, telephone: + 255.222.15.03.30; email: logistics@cats-net.com, or Julius Kejo Disaster Management Coordinator; email: sakejo30@yahoo.com
In Kenya: Dr. Asha Mohammed, Federation Head of Eastern Africa Zone, Nairobi, telephone: + 254.20.283.51.24; fax: + 254.20.271.27.77; email: asha.mohammed@ifrc.org and Knut Kaspersen, Deputy Head of Eastern Africa Zone and a.i. Federation Head of East Africa Sub-Zone, Nairobi, email: knut.kaspersen@ifrc.org; telephone + 254.20.283.52.53;
In Kenya: Philimon Majwa, Disaster Management Manager, Nairobi; email: philimon.majwa@ifrc.org; telephone + 254.20.283.52.08; fax + 254.20.271.27.77
In Geneva: John Roche, Federation Operations Coordinator (Eastern and Southern Africa), email: john.roche@ifrc.org; phone + 41.22.730.4400.
All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) in Disaster Relief and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (Sphere) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable.
The International Federation's activities are aligned with its Global Agenda, which sets out four broad goals to meet the Federation's mission to "improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity".