Brian McDonald
A massive blackout hit most of Tanzania on Saturday as heavy rain and strong winds from Cyclone Hidaya hit the country after weeks of flooding in the region.
Ferry services between Tanzania’s commercial hub Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar were suspended as Cyclone Hidaya approached the East African coast with maximum winds of 120 km/h (33 mph) and strong gusts.
Authorities warned residents to exercise caution as the cyclone’s intensity increases.
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The weather service said more rainfall than normal was recorded in coastal areas overnight. The Tanzania Red Cross has been carrying out preparedness campaigns along the coast.
In recent weeks, flooding in Kenya and Tanzania has killed hundreds of people following heavy rains during the region’s monsoon season, authorities said. Floods in Tanzania killed 155 people and affected more than 200,000 others, the prime minister said in April.
In Kenya, 70 people have died since the start of the monsoon season in March, a government official said.
The East African region is highly vulnerable to climate change. El Niño is should last until spring. The region’s dry season typically begins in June.
