Tanzania hit by tidal wave
2004-12-28 13:59
Arusha - Ten Tanzanians were killed by tidal waves that hit Africa's east coast after the massive earthquake in south Asia, a senior police officer said on Tuesday, as authorities here began to get a better idea of the impact of the sea surges on the African shoreline.
In addition, an unknown number are feared dead because the boat they were in capsized, said Alfred Tibaigana, regional police commander of Tanzania's commercial capital and main port, Dar es Salaam.
Tibaigana said most of the 10 were swimming near Dar es Salaam's beach on Sunday, but their bodies were recovered on Monday.
The waves, which hit Sunday, were triggered by the 9.0-magnitude undersea quake centred off the Indonesian island of Sumatra, about 4 500km away.
On Monday, Somalia's presidential spokesperson, Yusuf Ismail, reported hundreds of people had died and entire villages and towns had disappeared when waves hit that country.
On the Indian Ocean Island of Seychelles, two fishermen where missing and four Seychellois were hospitalised after being lightly injured, following flooding caused by the tidal waves, said Alain Payette, a top official in President James Michel's office, on Monday.
- SAPA