Cyclone Hidaya hits Tanzania, death toll rises to 155

A man pushes his bicycle in a flooded road in Rongai. Pic/Getty Images

A major blackout hit most of Tanzania on Saturday as heavy rains and strong winds from Cyclone Hidaya lashed the country following weeks of flooding in the region. Ferry services between Tanzania's commercial hub, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar were suspended as the cyclone approached the East African coast with maximum winds of 120 kph (33 mph) and powerful gusts.

Authorities warned residents to exercise caution as the intensity increases. The weather service said more than the usual amount of rainfall was recorded in coastal areas overnight. The Tanzania Red Cross Society has been carrying out preparedness campaigns along the coast. Heavy rains and flooding over the past weeks in Tanzania and the rest of East Africa have left about 155 people dead, authorities said. More than 200,000 others have been affected.

120
kilometre per hour (kph) speed of wind on the coast

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