The European Union is providing €100,000 in humanitarian funding to support people affected by floods and landslides in Tanzania’s Mbeya Region.
Intense and prolonged rainfall during the March – May rainy season triggered severe flooding and landslides in late March, , according to a statement from the EU Delegation to Tanzania cited on Thursday by the European External Action Service (EEAS).
The disaster struck between the evening of 25 March and the early hours of 26 March, when heavy rains and strong winds set off multiple landslides and flash floods.
The worst-affected wards were Nkunga, Lupepo, Kawetele and Ikuti in Rungwe District, where homes were buried and roads were badly damaged.
Around 600 displaced people are sheltering in schools and temporary facilities, where overcrowding, limited access to safe drinking water and inadequate sanitation are creating health risks.
At least 20 people had died by 27 March and several others were injured, many of the dead being children.
Aid to be delivered through Tanzania Red Cross
The EU funding will support the Tanzania Red Cross to provide assistance including shelter, clean water, health services, and hygiene and sanitation support, the Delegation informed.
The operation is expected to reach more than 2,600 people across six wards in Rungwe and Kyela districts and run for three months, until the end of July 2026.
The funding comes through the Disaster Response Emergency Fund, a pot of money managed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies that can be used to release rapid support for emergencies.
