Continuous heavy rains since early April across much of Tanzania have triggered floods and landslides, affecting over 200,000 people and destroying many infrastructure facilities.
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's largest city, is the worst hit this time. The city's main artery Morogoro Road is inundated. The floods have also damaged numerous roads, bridges, railways, and other infrastructure facilities in the city.
The Rufiji District of the Pwani Region is also one of the worst-hit areas. In the district's Mohoro Village, people have to travel on boats in floods, and they are in urgent need of essential supplies and sanitation services.
"There used to be a bridge at this site. It could get to the Mohoro market. But now, the bridge is underwater in the floods. It's risky to cross this area now, and many people have to take boats to go from one place to another," said a local villager.
"That house that got flooded was mine. At a round 20:00, the flood came. My whole family was inside the house at the time. When the water burst into the house, we had to leave right away to the road outside. Later, we took our luggage to settle at a place higher up," said another local resident affected by the flood.
As of Thursday, the death toll from flash floods in Tanzania has risen to 155.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, much of Africa is currently experiencing extreme weather due to the combined effects of the El Nino and Indian Ocean Dipole phenomena.
Floods devastate Tanzania
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Cho Tae-yul, foreign minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK), in Beijing on Monday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China and the ROK are close neighbors and should maintain regular exchanges.
Recently, China-ROK relations have been facing difficulties and challenges, which is not in the common interests of both sides, nor is it what China wants to see, Wang said, adding that it is hoped that the ROK side will work with China to stick to the original intention of establishing diplomatic ties, adhere to the direction of good neighborliness and friendship, stick to the goal of mutually beneficial cooperation, remove disturbances, and make joint efforts to push for the sound and steady development of China-ROK relations. He pointed out that China and the ROK should understand and respect each other, strengthen communication and exchanges, eliminate misunderstandings and enhance mutual trust.
Wang added that China hopes the ROK side abides by the one-China principle, properly and prudently handles Taiwan-related issues, and consolidates the political foundation of bilateral relations. The two sides should send more objective and positive messages, increase positive guidance, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges to consolidate public support for bilateral relations.
China is speeding up the development of new quality productive forces, promoting high-quality development and expanding high-level opening up, which will bring important opportunities to the ROK, Wang said, adding that the two sides should deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, be reliable and long-term partners in each other's development process, jointly oppose trade protectionism, safeguard the international free trade system, and ensure stable and unimpeded production and supply chains.
Cho said that it is hoped that this visit will become an important step forward in ROK-China relations. The ROK government attaches great importance to its relations with China, and looks forward to working closely with China to develop a healthier and more mature strategic cooperative partnership on the basis of mutual respect, reciprocity and common interests.
He added that it is in the common interests of the two countries and peoples and the expectation of the international community to promote the development of ROK-China relations and jointly meet common challenges. The ROK is willing to enhance mutual trust, expand consensus and focus on cooperation with China, thus avoiding geopolitical constraints as much as possible and jointly opening up a new situation of bilateral cooperation.
The two sides also exchanged views on China-Japan-ROK cooperation, the situation on the Korean Peninsula and other issues of common concern.
At the invitation of Wang, Cho is visiting China from May 13 to 14.
Chinese foreign minister holds talks with ROK counterpart
