Flood-stricken Kenya and Tanzania are bracing for further stormy weather, this time on the Indian Ocean coastline, with a tropical cyclone expected to make landfall just south of Tanzania’s main port of Dar es Salaam on Saturday afternoon.
According to meteorological tracking data from Zoom Earth, by 17h30 on Friday tropical cyclone Hidaya had moved to within 150km of the Tanzanian coast. Forecasts predict that by the early hours of Saturday morning, the cyclone will have reduced in intensity to a severe tropical storm (with wind gusts of up to 130km/h) over the popular tourist destination of Mafia Island, before striking the coast of mainland Tanzania by Saturday afternoon.
The Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) cautioned in a statement on Thursday that Hidaya would cause heavy rain and strong winds in Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Lindi, Tanga and Morogoro, along with the islands of Zanzibar, Unguja and Pemba.
“Citizens in remote areas and all those involved in various…
