Tanzania: 155 Killed As Heavy Rains Lash East Africa
The Facts
Tanzania's Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said on Thursday that at least 155 people have been killed and more than 200K people affected by heavy rains that triggered floods and landslides.
Majaliwa reportedly told parliament that El Niño - a naturally occurring climate pattern - had exacerbated the current rainy season, „caused significant damage,“including the destruction of roads, bridges and railroads.
The Spin
This disaster, which affects the whole of East Africa, is the result of a fatal combination of different factors. The effects of environmental destruction, deforestation, and unsustainable agriculture are amplified by climate change, which disrupts the climate system and thus natural phenomena such as El Niño. Tanzania is taking the necessary measures to overcome the challenges, but the industrialized countries must do their part and finally take climate protection seriously.
