East Africans told to brace for heavy rains, disease outbreaks

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA) - The East Africa sub-region will be hit by above normal rains which will likely increase the risk of disease outbreaks, according to forecast by the Great Horn of Africa Climate Outlook.

The weather outlook for March, April and May this year released on Thursday shows that there will be heavier-than-normal rains which can be devastating.

A senior meteorologist with the East African Community (EAC), James Kivuyo, was quoted as saying: “The higher than normal rainfall will increase the risk for outbreaks of infectious diseases.”

He urged EAC partner states to be on the alert and inform the public about the impending danger, as well as put in place preparedness and mitigation measures while monitoring rainfall patterns closely.

Diseases likely to break out include cholera and malaria in humans as well as rift valley fever in both humans and animals.

The warning comes hardly three days after Tanzania’s coastal region of Dar es Salaam was hit by unusually heavy rains which caused havoc among people who reside in low-lying areas.

Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) has since warned people living in low-lying areas to be on the alert.

Flooding with landslides due to heavy downpour has already been reported in other East African countries of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, with loss of lives.

-0-PANA EBM/AR 7Mar2019