DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania: People have been moving en masse to Tanzania’s commercial hub, attracted by its booming economy.
But the rapidly growing population has put pressure on Dar es Salaam’s infrastructure and is now burdened by poor urban planning.
Africa’s fastest growing city was initially designed for just 300,000 inhabitants. By 2030, the population of 7 million people is expected to reach 10 million people.
Compounding the problems are the impacts of climate change, such as worse and more frequent extreme weather, which has caused suffering across the city.
Resident Abdallah Mdembe, for example, almost lost his home when massive floods in April threatened to uproot it.
Although he still has a roof over his head, the situation remains dire, he said, with rain washing away 20 houses in his area.
He fears the situation will get worse.
According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the consequences of this year’s El Niño phenomenon, which is usually characterized by extreme weather events, are significant, with 5 million people affected by flooding in East Africa.
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