Weathermen have raised alarm over a rare tropical cyclone that could hit Tanzania’s largest city Dar es Salaam.
A report by CNN indicates that Cyclone Jobo could become the first cyclone to make landfall in the neighboring country since 1952.
A statement from Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) corroborated the forecasting last night. The weatherman said Cyclone Jobo has continued to intensify and is moving towards the coast of Lindi region.
Tropical Cyclone Jobo which is currently located near the island of Madagascar, in the South Indian Ocean, is equivalent to a strong tropical storm with winds moving at nearly 100 kilometres per hour.
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Experts, however, say that environmental conditions in the region such as its proximity to the equator could weaken the storm prior to making landfall late this weekend.
Landfalling cyclones are almost unheard of in Tanzania due to its close proximity to the equator, where the Coriolis force — what causes the storm to rotate — is weaker.
Records show only two other tropical cyclones to have ever made it to the shores of Tanzania since the 19th century: the “Zanzibar Cyclone” of 1872 and Cyclone Lindi of 1952.
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The storms struck the nation 80 years and one day apart, leaving behind mass destruction and loss of countless lives.
Dar es Salam, which is the largest city in Tanzania, is home to over 6 million people. It’s the fifth largest city in the African continent.
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