Cyclone Hidaya destabilises Tanzania internet connectivity

from ALLOYCE KIMBUNGA in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
Tanzania Bureau
DAR-ES-SALAAM, (CAJ News) – POWER outages, resulting from damage of infrastructure by Cyclone Hidaya, have compromised internet connectivity and communications in Tanzania.

The country is one of several East African nations bearing the brunt of climate change in the region.

Cyclone Hidaya made landfall in Tanzania on Saturday at a time when the country was still recovering from the heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides in recent weeks that have killed hundreds of people and caused widespread disruptions in many parts.

The heavy rainfall and strong winds brought by Hidaya are hampering recovery efforts and result in additional disruptions or fatalities.

Power outages have been endured in some parts of the country amid damage to infrastructure in the areas of the commercial hub Dar es Salaam, the capital Dodoma, and the central Iringa.

NetBlocks, the internet watchdog, confirmed network data showed a decline in internet connectivity in both Tanzania and Zanzibar.

“The incident is attributed to a disruption in the national power grid transmission system as Cyclone Hidaya approaches,” it stated.

Flooding since late 2023 has left 155 people dead and 236 injured.

More than 200 000 people have been affected.

The Red Cross has appealed for funding to the tune of CHF3 million (US3,3 million) to respond to the crisis.

– CAJ News