Johannesburg (dpa): At least 13 people have died after three days of heavy rains caused floods in Dar es Salam, the economic capital of Tanzania, President Jakaya Kikwete said on Thursday. Local officials say the death toll could rise amid reports of people missing and witnesses saying they had seen dead bodies in the rising waters. On his Facebook page, President Jakaya Kikwete extended his condolences to the families of the deceased, saying the events were a “tragedy.” He called for citizens to open their homes to the hundreds of displaced people. Resident of low-lying areas were urged to evacuate their homes, as officials tried to prevent any further loss of life. The downpours are expected to continue. According to the Tanzania Meteorological Agency the rains were the heaviest to hit Dar es Salam in 57 years, the Daily News reported. The capital has been paralyzed by the floods and businesses forced to close, while roads and bridges have been destroyed or submerged. The Red Cross and the military were mobilized to help with the relief efforts and were using boats to rescue people from their homes. dpa shg hl BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/dN9Ri Tags: Deaths, Floods, Tanzania Section: East Africa
