ARUSHA, Tanzania, May 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people died and 20 others were injured in just one week due to ongoing rains in northeastern Tanzania's region of Tanga, police said Monday.
Benedict Wakulyamba, Tanga Regional Police Commander, said the rains have also rendered more than 200 people homeless in the region.
According to him, 12 houses were completely washed away by the water, and 268 houses were still surrounded by rain water.
He also said that the rains also buried away five cars while destroying road infrastructures thus blocking traffic between districts and the region at general.
Though supposed to be a blessing for Tanzania's agricultural sector, the ongoing heavy rains have wreaked havoc in many parts of the country, flooding roads, submerging homes, and ravaging farms.
A week ago, the busy Dar es Salaam-Arusha highway became impassable for some hours after being submerged in water around the Mombo and Mkumbala section in the region.
Reports indicated that Lushoto remained disconnected from the rest of the country following a landslide caused by the rain in the Usambara Mountains.
Earlier this month, the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) warned of heavy rains in eastern and coastal regions of Tanga, Morogoro, Dar es Salaam, Lindi, Mtwara and Zanzibar due to effects of the Cyclone Fantala in the Indian Ocean.
The storm is the sixth to occur during the Southwest Indian Ocean cyclone season which occurs between November and April.
