Trend and Impacts of Flood in Tanzania: Evidence from Open Sources Database

Abstract

Climate change and climate variability have increased the frequency of flood events in many parts of Tanzania. Data related to flood events are limited at national, regional and district levels. In order to fill the gap on flood data at global to local level several open databases have been established in place such as International Disaster Database (EM DAT CRED), and UNDRR desInventar Sendai mentioning few of them. The study examines the trends of flood events and their associated impacts in Tanzania. The study purposively uses secondary data from EM DAT CRED online open database in studying the trend of flood in the united Republic of Tanzania. Data for 24 years have been considered as from 2000 to December 2024. The study relies on descriptive statistical analysis especially frequencies to express number of deaths, injuries, homeless and affected people. Study revealed that, 133 flood events have been recorded in the country. About 66% of all flood events within 24 years involved in this study documented to occur between 2014 and 2024. Morogoro (15%), Dar es Salaam (12%) and Arusha (8.2%) regions are far most leading in flood events.  21 flood events were experienced in 2018. Within the first quarter of 21st century, EM DAT CRED recorded 576 deaths, 547 injured people, 44 thousand homeless and 3.4 million people were affected by flood events.  Although mortality and injury records are not consistently available, the existing data show an increasing trend. The study concludes that there is increasing trend of flood events and so does impacts (death, injury, homeless and total affected population). The study recommends that United Republic of Tanzania need to commit itself in developing disaster database that will enable determination of trend hence setting priorities for disaster management.