Over 250 Families Homeless After Tremors

TOMRIC News Agency (Dar es Salaam)

September 7, 2001
Posted to the web September 7, 2001

Tomric Correspondent
Dar Es Salaam

The number of households affected by last month's tremors in Rungwe District southern Tanzania has risen to 259 from the previous 181 following a house to house check by ward leaders, PST reports here today.

Rungwe District Administrative Officer Bryson Matekele has told the PST that authorities conducted a survey in the five affected villages in his districts whose result revealed that 259 families were homeless. Late last month the tremor hit four villages in Rungwe being the second incident to occur in the district in the period of less than ten months. No deaths have been reported by yesterday.

Beginning last December until early this year, part of Rungwe District experienced heavy tremors, which made thousands of people homeless. Villages, which were hit last month, included those devastated during December-January tremors, which lasted for almost the whole month.

According to the PST, some people say there were incessant tremors in their villages although not as heavy and destructive as that which occurred last month. There are only some 179 tenants, which couldn't cater for all the victims in the region. Already a wireless firm, Vodacom has asked authorities in the area to provide report on the extent of damage cause by the ongoing tremors to enable the company provide assistance.

The government and NGOs are apparently providing various items to victims.