THE government was working to provide basic needs support and restoration of roads and social services affected by the tropical cyclone Hidaya.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa made this affirmation in the National Assembly yesterday when presenting a brief report on the situation in the aftermath of the tropical cyclone, Hidaya.

Priority support was directed to Kilwa in Lindi Region, Mafia and Rufiji in Coast and Ifakara in Morogoro Region, with sector ministries, regional and district authorities, disaster management committees at the national and regional level and other stakeholders being involved.

Measures taken in Kilwa district include a search and rescue exercise where 4,080 people were lifted from flooded areas, meanwhile work to restore parts of the 396-kilometre road from Dar es Salaam to Lindi and onward to Mtwara was being completed.

Road portions were washed away by flash floods destroying bridges including the Somanga-Mtama Bridge, he said, noting that in Rufiji and Kibiti, health workers provided psychological and social support to 1,941 flood victims, instructing 1,023 residents on child protection during emergencies.

In Mafia District, measures taken include connecting displaced people with relatives and neighbours for temporary shelter after their houses collapsed or were surrounded by water, and in Kilwa the government has set up temporary shelters in Mchakama, Ruhatwe and Ndende primary schools.

Basic needs including flour, beans and edible oil have been delivered, while district disaster committees monitor the situation to ensure that people are properly served, the premier indicated, noting that things were similar in parts of Mtwara Region.

Residents in Mbasa, Viwanja Sitini, Kibaoni and Katindiuka in Ifakara District in Morogoro Region who have badly been affected by floods, have been shifted to safe places.  

“The residents have been kept in some school buildings and they receive basic support for food, medicines and other essentials," he said, pointing at 7,021 households with 18,862 people being affected in the various areas.

The tropical cyclone Hidaya approached Tanzania’s coast on Friday causing heavy rain and floods before it completely lost its strength close to Mafia Island on Saturday, meteorologists reported.