Tanzania: At least 47 dead and 85 injured after heavy rain and landslides

The government has deployed the military to help rescue hundreds of people trapped by the flooding, which has been described as the worst in years in the East African nation. The flooding occurred near Mount Hanang in the north.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is attending the UN’s Cop28 climate summit in Dubai, said she was cutting short her trip to return to Tanzania due to the tragedy.

“I send my sincere condolences to the affected families and have directed all our security forces to deploy to the area and help those affected,” she said in a video message.

Other East African countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan have been hit by raging floods made worse by the El Nino phenomenon.

Hundreds of people have died across the region and millions have been displaced since the heavy rains began in late October.