Dodoma [Tanzania], December 6 : At least 65 people have lost their lives in northern Tanzania following heavy landslides and flooding brought on by heavy rains on Tuesday, Al Jazeera quoted Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa as saying.
Weekend-long torrential downpours in the highland village of Katesh, 300 kilometres (185 miles) north of the capital Dodoma, damaged properties, including structures.
"Two more bodies were found in the ongoing search and now the death toll has reached 65," Majaliwa said as he updated the death toll, according to Al Jazeera.
"On Sunday, I heard huge bangs outside the home starting at five in the morning. A guy called James, who lost his wife and children in the accident, stated, "When we tried to escape, it was too late because mud, trees, and stones were rolling from the mountain."
Some 5,600 people have been displaced by the landslides, said Mobhare Matinyi, a government spokesperson, according to Al Jazeera.
The powerlines and communication have been disrupted in the area and a search operation is underway.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor