When floods strike, the most vulnerable pay the price

DAR ES SALAAM: AS heavy rains associated with the El Niño weather phenomenon threaten to cause flooding and disrupt essential services, children, pregnant women, older people and persons with disabilities are among those facing heightened risks.

Beyond damaging homes, roads and communication networks, severe flooding can expose vulnerable groups to life-threatening situations, particularly when their ability to escape danger, access healthcare or obtain other essential services is limited.

For children, especially school pupils, the danger extends beyond being caught in floodwaters. Exposure to contaminated water, poor sanitation and disease outbreaks can threaten their health, while flooding may also disrupt their education.

For pregnant women nearing childbirth, older people and persons with disabilities, inaccessible roads and limited mobility can make emergencies even more dangerous.

The Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) has issued a forecast indicating that rainfall during the current rainy season is expected to range from normal to above-normal levels, warning that the rains could be accompanied by various hazards, including severe flooding.

While in some parts of the country rainy season has started, TMA forecast that the season will continue until January next year. The outlook has heightened concerns over the safety of vulnerable communities, particularly children, whose ability to respond independently to emergencies is often limited.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that the 2026–2027 El Niño weather phenomenon could be among the most severe on record, putting more than 347 million children across nearly 100 countries at risk of severe flooding and extreme drought.

According to UNICEF, the effects are expected to be felt most acutely between October and December 2026, threatening children’s lives, health and education. An estimated 41 million children in Eastern and Southern Africa are expected to be affected by heavy rainfall.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said El Niño could force children to leave their homes, expose them to malnutrition and water shortages, and increase the risk of disease outbreaks. Schools could also be forced to close, while families may face economic difficulties.

The organisation has reported that climate-related disasters displaced an average of more than 20,000 children every day between 2016 and 2023. In addition, climate-related events disrupted the education of 171 million pupils worldwide in 2025.

UNICEF has called on governments, donors and development partners to take early action, strengthen essential services and invest in systems capable of withstanding climate-related shocks. It has emphasised that preventing disasters before they occur can reduce the cost of emergency responses while protecting the lives of children and other groups most at risk.

In response to the anticipated effects of the rains, the government, through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, has taken precautionary measures by directing all pre-primary, primary and secondary schools in Mainland Tanzania to close early on November 13, 2026, instead of the previously scheduled December 4, 2026.

The decision follows a TMA warning concerning the outlook for the October–December 2026 short rains. According to Education Circular No. 3 of 2026, issued on September 30, 2026, under Reference No.

CA.128/191/01J/53 and signed by Commissioner for Education Dr Lyabwene Mtahabwa, the measure aims to protect the safety and well-being of pupils, teachers and other school staff from potential hazards.

The circular notes that the expected rains could disrupt school activities generally, including those involving pupils who are not undertaking national assessments and examinations. The decision amends the academic calendar previously outlined in Education Circular No. 06 of 2025 and Education Circular No. 01 of 2026, which had scheduled school closures for December 4, 2026.

It also follows the Ministry’s September 25, 2026 announcement revising the dates for national assessments and examinations to minimise possible disruptions caused by flooding. The circular officially took effect on October 1, 2026.

The early closure reflects the importance of taking preventive action to protect children’s lives, health and education from weather-related disasters. During a visit to several schools in Dar es Salaam Region, ‘Daily News’ observed various essential facilities, including toilets, water storage facilities and handwashing stations, as part of preparations to address challenges that could arise during and after flooding.

At Buguruni Primary School, Headteacher Ayoub Mohamed said the administration and teachers were following government guidelines and had already started educating pupils on how to protect themselves against the potential effects of El Niño.

He said the school had essential services, including water and electricity, while teachers continued to educate pupils on precautions they should observe during the rainy season.

Mr Mohamed said the timely closure of schools in accordance with government directives would help reduce the risks pupils might face while travelling between home and school.

“Although pupils are at home, they must still observe safety precautions, including avoiding unnecessary movements and staying away from dangerous areas during rainfall,” he said.

He noted that some pupils lived in low-lying and flood-prone areas, including communities around the Msimbazi River, making safety education particularly important for children, their families and the wider community.

“We educate children on how to protect themselves while at home, especially when it rains heavily, so that they can avoid dangerous areas,” he said.

He added that the school was continuing to implement government directives by ensuring that academic activities were completed as scheduled, while safety education remained a priority.

However, Mr Mohamed cautioned that natural disasters could occur unexpectedly, making continued vigilance among pupils, parents and the wider community essential.

He stressed that protecting pupils required cooperation between schools, parents and communities, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall, to minimise preventable harm.

At Msisiri B Primary School in Mwananyamala Ward, Kinondoni District, Headteacher Tatu Mkali said the school was also implementing precautionary measures against challenges associated with heavy rainfall and flooding. These included educating pupils on safety precautions and maintaining environmental cleanliness.

Ms Mkali explained that teachers were advising pupils to avoid standing near deteriorated or unstable walls that could collapse during heavy rainfall and cause injuries. She said pupils were also being encouraged to advise their parents to seek safer accommodation if their homes were located in hazardous environments.

In addition, children were being warned against swimming in or attempting to cross floodwaters, even when accompanied by adults, because strong currents could sweep them away and cause serious accidents.

On infrastructure, she said the school was taking steps to reinforce areas showing signs of deterioration, including walls and fences that could collapse during heavy rainfall.

The school was also emphasising environmental cleanliness, particularly the maintenance of drainage channels near the premises that were shared with surrounding communities.

Ms Mkali said keeping the channels clear would allow water to flow freely and reduce the risk of flooding. “In carrying out these activities, we work with local government leaders, who help coordinate and supervise cleaning activities and other measures to improve the environment and enhance public safety,” she said.

Health risks require vigilance

Beyond flooding and infrastructure damage, heavy rainfall can increase the risk of disease outbreaks, particularly among children who may come into contact with contaminated water and unsafe environments.

Dr Omari Mahiza, from the Paediatric Department at Amana Regional Referral Hospital, urged parents and guardians to take preventive measures to protect children against diseases that may become more prevalent during the rainy season.

He said heavy rainfall could increase the risk of malaria by creating additional mosquito breeding sites, while contaminated water and food could contribute to outbreaks of cholera.

Skin infections associated with poor hygiene and prolonged wearing of wet clothes could also become more common.

Dr Mahiza advised parents to ensure that children drink clean and safe water, wash their hands regularly, sleep under insecticide-treated mosquito nets and wear clean, dry clothes.

He also urged parents to prevent children from playing in stagnant water, drainage channels and areas containing contaminated water.

Additionally, he cautioned against giving children street food whose safety and hygiene standards could not be established.

Dr Mahiza emphasised the importance of parents recognising danger signs in children, including an inability to breastfeed or drink, convulsions, difficulty breathing, unusually rapid breathing and persistent vomiting in which the child cannot retain anything eaten or drunk.

He said any child displaying such symptoms should be taken to hospital immediately for examination and treatment, without waiting for the condition to deteriorate.

“I urge parents to work with health professionals in taking preventive measures and ensuring that children receive medical care promptly, particularly during this period of heavy rainfall,” he said.

Pregnant women, older people need special attention

Apart from children, pregnant women, older people and persons with disabilities are among the groups requiring special attention and support during disasters.

Dr August Mtui, a specialist in emergency medicine and Head of the Emergency and Accident Department at Mwananyamala Regional Referral Hospital, said these groups needed to take early precautions, including relocating to safer areas to avoid potential dangers associated with heavy rainfall.

Speaking to ‘Daily News’, Dr Mtui advised families and caregivers to prioritise the lives of vulnerable people during emergencies rather than focusing first on rescuing property.

He said these groups faced heightened risks because they could experience difficulties when required to respond quickly and escape dangerous situations. Families should therefore ensure that they are moved to safer locations before conditions deteriorate.

Dr Mtui particularly advised pregnant women nearing childbirth to remain close to healthcare facilities and prepare essential items needed for delivery.

“For pregnant women living in high-risk areas, it is important to relocate early, before the situation deteriorates and routes to hospitals become inaccessible or are damaged by floodwaters,” he said.

He also said Mwananyamala Regional Referral Hospital had strengthened its preparedness to address health challenges that could arise from heavy rainfall and flooding. The preparations included strengthening emergency and disaster response teams, as well as providing training and guidance to hospital staff.

According to Dr Mtui, the hospital had gathered and trained more than 400 staff members while continuing to strengthen its infrastructure, medicine supplies and medical equipment to ensure its readiness to provide services to people affected by disasters.

“The measures we are taking are intended to ensure that we have enough staff, sufficient medicines and adequate medical equipment to treat people affected by heavy rainfall and flooding. We want to ensure that everyone who needs care, including people living in the surrounding areas, can access services without major difficulties,” he said.

He added that the hospital served more than two million people, including residents of Kinondoni and Ubungo districts and other areas within and beyond Dar es Salaam Region. The preparations were therefore essential to maintaining healthcare services during emergencies.

Dr Mtui warned that heavy rainfall could make roads and other routes impassable, potentially delaying access to essential services, including healthcare.

He urged residents to develop emergency evacuation plans by identifying safe routes out of their neighbourhoods and suitable places of refuge in case of flooding or when their homes became unsafe. He stressed that residents should not wait until conditions deteriorated before taking action but should respond early when water levels began rising and their surroundings became hazardous.

“Those who are forced to evacuate are advised to seek temporary shelter in safe areas until conditions improve,” he said.

Dr Mtui also advised households to keep first-aid kits containing basic supplies such as cotton wool, surgical spirit and bandages, alongside appropriate medicines for home use. He said such supplies could help provide initial assistance to injured people during emergencies.

He further reminded residents that heavy rainfall could cause electrical faults and fires, urging them to familiarise themselves with the appropriate emergency service numbers to obtain timely assistance when such incidents occurred.

Dr Mtui said preparedness at family, community and healthcare institution levels was essential in reducing the harm caused by flooding and protecting people’s lives.

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Environmental sanitation key to preventing disease

In addition to healthcare preparations and measures to protect vulnerable groups, environmental sanitation remains an important line of defence against disease outbreaks during heavy rainfall.

Shufaa Mitawa, a health officer specialising in environmental health and occupational safety at Amana Regional Referral Hospital, urged residents to improve environmental sanitation to protect themselves against diseases that could spread during the El Niño-associated rains.

Ms Mitawa said indiscriminate waste disposal, the use of unsafe toilets and the discharge of wastewater into rivers and drainage channels could contaminate water sources and increase the risk of diseases such as cholera, typhoid and skin infections.

She explained that heavy rainfall and flooding could wash faecal matter and waste from unsafe areas into water sources used by residents.

She emphasised the importance of maintaining wastewater systems and ensuring that toilets met public health standards.

Ms Mitawa also urged residents to separate biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, store it in covered containers and dispose of it at designated sites.

She said these measures would help control flies, rats and other pests that could contribute to the spread of diseases.

To address the challenges, she called for regular cleaning of stormwater drainage channels to prevent blockages and reduce flooding risks.

She also urged residents not to discharge wastewater into stormwater drains or water sources.

Ms Mitawa stressed that protecting public health required collective responsibility, with every resident playing a role in maintaining a clean environment, managing waste responsibly and ensuring that household water was clean and safe.

She said these precautions were particularly important during periods of heavy rainfall, when flooding could quickly turn poor sanitation into a serious public health threat.