Tanzania’s 396-kilometre highway connecting the port city of Dar es Salaam and southern regions of Lindi and Mtwara was shut down on Sunday after flash floods washed away at least four main bridges.
“The highway has been closed until further notice,” Joseph Mwasabeja, the Tanzania Fire and Rescue Force commander for Lindi region, told Xinhua when reached on phone.
Mr Mwasabeja said the flash floods were triggered by an overnight heavy downpour caused by the tropical cyclone Hidaya before it completely lost its strength after its landfall on Mafia Island earlier on Saturday.
He said the floods washed away bridges over Mbwemkuru, Somanga, Mikereng’ende and Matandu rivers in Kilwa district in Lindi region.
Mohamed Nyundo, Kilwa district commissioner, said the floods also submerged several houses in seven villages, displacing scores of villagers and damaging hundreds of hectares of farm crops.
Read: East Africa braces for hunger, diseases as floods destroy farmland, livelihoods
On Saturday night, the Tanzania Meteorological Authority declared that tropical cyclone Hidaya had completely lost its strength following its landfall on Mafia Island earlier on Saturday.
The tropical cyclone was forecast to hit the country’s Indian Ocean coast regions of Mtwara, Lindi, Coast, Tanga and Dar es Salaam.
At least 155 people have lost their lives in flood and landslides-related incidents in the country.
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Tanzania: Samia Hands Over NBC’s 354m/ – Crop Insurance Compensation to Farmers Affected By Hailstorms
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has handed over a cheque of 354m/- from the National Bank of Commerce (NBC) as compensation to tobacco farmers, who were affected by hailstorms during the previous farming season in various regions across the country.
Handing over the cheque in Dodoma, the compensation is part of the crop insurance service provided by NBC in collaboration with the National Insurance Corporation (NIC).
Furthermore, President Samia has also handed over health insurance coverage to members of the Lindi Mwambao Cooperative Union based in Lindi Region, through the Farmers’ Health Insurance service provided by the bank in partnership with Assurance Insurance Company.
While visiting the bank’s pavilion at the Nanenane Agricultural Exhibition and being received and briefed by the bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Theobald Sabi, she said: “This crop insurance is one of the crucial solutions in ensuring farmers have a reliable income, without fear of challenges such as natural disasters, including hailstorms.
“I call upon all farmers in the country to make the best use of this important opportunity by accessing these kinds of insurance services. I also highly commend NBC and all the stakeholders participating in this programme.”
Elaborating further on the crop insurance service, the Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, stated that it will help to recover the loss farmers incurred, especially in various calamities beyond their control.
Citing them as floods, fires, and hailstorms, which have significantly affected the well-being of farmers and caused some to be reluctant to invest in the crucial sector, Mr Bashe added: “However, our President, this step by NBC is just the beginning, as this is the second year since they started offering this service, and the results are already visible.
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“As the government, we promise to continue supporting the wider implementation of this service, with the goal of ensuring that this crop insurance service reaches more farmers.”
ALSO READ: NBC participates in TFF 2023/24 awards, promises to enhance competition
On his part, Mr Sabi said that the farmers who benefited from the compensations are from 23 primary cooperative unions in the regions of Shinyanga, Geita, Tabora, Mbeya, Katavi, and Kigoma.
He added: “In addition to these insurance services, as a bank, through this exhibition, we have continued with our programme of providing financial education and various banking opportunities to farmers, alongside offering them various loans, including loans for agricultural equipment, particularly tractors, to eligible farmers.:
At the NBC booth, President Samia also had the opportunity to be briefed on the various services offered by the bank to the farmers namely crop insurance and health insurance services.
There, the President had the chance to speak with some of the beneficiaries of the services, including the Vice-Chairman of the Lindi Mwambao Primary Cooperative Union, Mr. Hassan Mnumbe, whose union has been provided with a health insurance card from the bank.
Source: allafrica.com
