TMA: Expect pounding rains soon

 There will be extremely heavy, short-term downpours in the first week of April, Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) said yesterday.

 

TMA Director Dr Agnes Kijazi made the warning when speaking to journalists on the sideline of the two-day workers meeting held in Dar es Salaam. She said this year there will be heavy rains, but short with high possibilities of causing damage.

 

The director further said heavy downpours are expected to come after a long period of drought and hot temperatures. She cautioned the general public to heed to weather updates information issued by the agency.

 

“I would kindly like to ask the public to carefully follow weather forecasts released by TMA to avert serious consequences that might be brought about the rains. Ignoring forecasts might sometimes lead to deaths or loss of property,” she said.

 

The director called on all people residing in flood prone areas to relocate to avoid any risks, saying that concerted efforts are needed to ensure that people up to the grassroots level access information on weather forecasts.

 

She noted that this will help to reduce risks and effects likely to occur in rural areas, noting that failure of that to loss of food, properties and even deaths hence a burden to the nation.

 

On his part, TMA Board Member Eng James Ngeleja appealed to the government to allocate sufficient funds to empower the agency with ultra-modern weather forecast gadgets.

 

“Lack of up-to-date facilities is one of the challenges stymieing the performance of the agency,” he said, adding that ten radars need to be installed across the country. Currently, TMA operates using only two radars.

 

“I would like to make a passionate appeal to the government to allocate sufficient funds to procure enough equipment including radars,” he added, noting that it is estimated that one radar costs 4bn/-. 

 

The two day worker’s council is met to discuss different challenges facing TMA including the budget set for the financial year 2016/17.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN