Define vulnerability and discuss the process of vulnerability analysis with reference to vulnerability profile of Tanzania

1. TASK:
Define vulnerability and discuss the process of vulnerability analysis with reference to
vulnerability profile of Tanzania
Contents
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................2
Vulnerability analysis....................................................................................................................2
TANZANIA VULNERABILITY PROFILE.....................................................................................2
FLOOD.........................................................................................................................................2
EARTHQUAKE...........................................................................................................................5
DROUGHT...................................................................................................................................5
HEALTHY....................................................................................................................................6
LANDSLIDE................................................................................................................................8
TSUNAMIS...................................................................................................................................9
VOLCANO.................................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................13

2. INTRODUCTION
Vulnerability refers to a degree of lose to which people, property, resources, systems, and cultural,
economic, environmental, and social activity is susceptible to harm, degradation, or destruction on
being exposed to a hostile agent or factor.
Vulnerability analysis
A vulnerability analysis is the process of identifying, quantifying, and prioritizing (or ranking) the
vulnerabilities in a system. Examples of systems for which vulnerability assessments are
performed include, but are not limited to, information technology systems, energy supply systems,
water supply systems, transportation systems, and communication systems. Such assessments may
be conducted on behalf of a range of different organizations, from small businesses up to large
regional infrastructures. Vulnerability from the perspective of disaster management means
assessing the threats from potential hazards to the population and to infrastructure. It may be
conducted in the political, social, economic or environmental fields.
Tanzania is vulnerable to climate change and impacts is showing itself in the form of increasing
floods and droughts, and in shifts in the timing of the wet and dry seasons. This affects the water
supply and the environment, agricultural productivity, and the business activities and health of the
population. The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are expected to increase in the
future.
TANZANIA VULNERABILITY PROFILE
FLOOD
Refers to natural process and can happen at any time in a wide variety of location. It constitutes a
temporary cover of land by water and presents a risk on people, their properties and environmental
assets areas which floods occurred. Floods prone regions are those regions with;
• Major rivers of the country
• Areas of flat and low lying plains example Kilosa
• Lakes shores in which the major rivers discharge their water into oceans oaks
Examples of areas in Tanzania which are vulnerable to disaster caused by floods are
Floods in Morogoro Region
Morogoro is located in east part of Tanzania and is characterized by Mountains, and several valleys
and also is characterized by heavy rainfall periods due to this many parts in the region experience
floods for example of affected districts include Kilosa, Kilombero, Morogoro and Malinyi.
Between 22nd to 24th of April,2016 Tanzania News Agency (TNA) is reported that 5 people were
died and almost 14,000 people were left homeless as a result of floods in the Morogoro Region in
eastern Tanzania. The area endured rain for the 3 weeks. Heavy rainfall between 22 to 24 April,
fell on already saturated ground and caused rivers to overflow, leaving wide areas under water.
According to Morogoro Regional Commissioner, Dr Kebwe Steven Kebwe, a total of 3,095 homes
have been damaged, forcing the families to evacuate.

3. TNA said the affected districts include Kilosa, Kilombero, Morogoro and Malinyi. Some schools
in the areas have been closed since 12 April. Damage to crops and roads has also been reported.
According to local media reports, three of the victims died in Kilombero, and the other 2 in
Morogoro district. (TMA, 2016)
Floods in Coast region.
15 February 2016, the Rufiji district in Coast region experienced further rains and flooding. Fifteen
wards in Rufiji district were affected by the floods, specifically Chemichemi, Chumbi, Ikwiriri,
Kiongoloni, Kipugira, Maparoni, Mgomba, Mkongo, Msala, Mtunda, Mwaseni, Muhoro,
Ngorongo, Umwe and Utete. According to the assessment data collected by the Rufiji district
authority, an estimated of 11,137 families (53,446 people) were affected. Houses were submerged
in flood waters and others were completely damaged leaving over 3,000 people displaced in 11 of
the wards Chemichemi, Chumbi, Ikwiriri, Kipugira, Mtunda, Mgomba, Mwaseni, Ngorongo,
Mkongo, Umwe and Utete, and in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, particularly for non-
food items (NFIs). (TMA, 2016)
Floods in Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam is already highly vulnerable to disaster caused by floods. The aspect of most
frequent concern to Dar es Salaam currently is heavy rainfall. In combination with poor drainage,
illegal construction and other infrastructure problems, heavy rainfall results in flooding that causes
major losses and disruptions. For the multitudes of the city’s population living in informal
settlements, poor sanitation provisions and practices contribute to an additional threat: disease.
Diseases commonly occurring in these congested, unsanitary settlements during flood periods
include malaria, cholera, dysentery and diarrhea. Some other factors that contribute to flooding in
these settlements include flat topography, lack of storm water drainage systems, blockage of
natural drainage systems, building in hazardous areas, and unregulated housing and infrastructure
development. Livelihood activities are also adversely affected by both heavy rainfall and by
drought. Floods have been affecting Dar es Salaam and other regions of Tanzania, including
Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Tanga and Kagera, for the last 6 days. Streets of Dar es Salaam have been
under water after 85 mm of rain fell in 24 hours on 07 May 2015.Local media say that Dar es
Salaam Police have confirmed that at least 12 people have died in the floods. There are fears that
more are still missing or unaccounted for.
Further heavy rainfall yesterday is causing problems for authorities to fully assess the situation. A
better picture of the damage caused by the floods will only become clearer once the flood waters
start to recede. As quoted in IPP, Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone Commander, Suleiman Kova
said: “As the intensity of the rains reduces and the level of waters decreases, the effects of the
floods are becoming more vivid, the worst affected areas in Dar es Salaam are said to be Kinondoni
and Temeke. Both districts are affected by flooding on a regular basis. Last week, Dar es Salaam
Regional Commissioner called for those in the affected areas to move to safer areas.
(PMO, 2003 )

4. (TMA, 2016)
Floods in Dodoma
18 January 2016, the Dodoma Municipality of Tanzania and Bahi district in Dodoma region
experienced significant flooding as a result of heavy rain accompanied by strong winds. Five
localities in the outskirts of the Dodoma Municipality were worst hit by the flood which affected
546 families (2,800 people) of which 155 houses were completely destroyed leaving 668
individuals displaced and homeless. Locations with high number of destroyed houses include:
Chamwino Ikulu (38), Chimendeli (29), Mpunguzi (35), Mlowa (27) andNghulugano (26). In Bahi
district, an estimated 526 families (2,650 people) are affected, of which 145 houses were
completely destroyed with the majority of people seeking refuge in public buildings (e.g. schools)
or with friends and family. Locations with high number of destroyed houses include: Chikola (56),
Kinonduli (57) and Ligwa (32). (TMA, 2016)

5. EARTHQUAKE
Two major geological faults run parallel from north to south in Tanzania, forming the country's
major earthquake-prone belts with one running from Mount Kilimanjaro to Dodoma via Arusha
and the other from Kigoma to Mbeya. An earthquake of 5.9 magnitude hit North West Tanzania
on Saturday 10th September, 2016, about 44 km from Bukoba town, on the western shore of Lake
Victoria. Based on initial reports, the quake was shallow, occurring at a depth of 10 kilometers
(six miles). Shallow quakes generally tend to be more damaging than deeper quakes. The quake
hit near the shore of Lake Victoria and the tremors rippled as far as western Kenya and parts of
Uganda, both of which share the waters of Lake Victoria and as far as Rwanda. The earthquake
affected area. There was a light after shock on the Sunday 12th of September. There is also a threat
of cracked walls which may collapse. Moreover, it has started raining in the area East Africa's
Great Rift Valley runs along a geological fault line though major earthquakes there are rare. In
2007, a magnitude 6 quake struck the Tanzanian town of Arusha, east of Bukoba.
According to assessments done by the Tanzanian Red Cross Society (TRCS) in Bukoba township,
initial assessment report identifies the following impacts:20 deaths reported (13 adults, 7 children),
269 people injured, 905 houses totally destroyed, 1124 houses heavily to partially damaged (deep
cracks) The quake caused a lot of panic among the population, psycho social impact (trauma) and
both the directly and indirectly affected were disoriented. Poor households in Kagera Region Face
Stressed acute food insecurity due to the impacts of the September earthquake. Approximately
7,500 homes and buildings were destroyed, and there have been ripple effects through employment
losses and a fall in remittances.
An assessment was carried out by various government departments and the Chief Administrative
Officer of Rakai (Uganda) appealed to the government and various stakeholders for support for
the displaced population. An estimated 577 children aged 1-14 years were affected out of the 1,170
people in total who were affected. (USAID, 2016)
DROUGHT
Refers to deficiency of precipitation over an extended period of time, usually a season or more,
which results in a water shortage for some activity, group, or environmental sectors. E.g. Dodoma,
Singida, Tabora and Some parts Shinyanga, Mwanza and Mara are also regular victims of

6. droughts, Northern-Western Kenya in Turkana, Samburu, Garissa, Isiolo from 1996-2014 and
Karamoja in Northern Uganda (UNFCCC, 2007)
HEALTHY
Health is the level of functional and metabolic efficiency of a living organism. In humans it is the
ability of individuals or communities to adapt and self-manage when facing physical, mental,
psychological and social changes. In Tanzania we consider the following diseases
HIV/AIDS
The first three cases of AIDS in Tanzania were reported in 1983. By December 1994, a cumulative
total of 53,247 cases had been reported. However, this probably represents only one-fourth to one-
sixth of the true number of AIDS cases. The National AIDS Control Program (NACP) estimates
that about 200,000 people have acquired AIDS since 1983. The number of people with HIV is
even more alarming, according to estimates based on blood donor prevalence, by 1995 as many as
1 million to 1.5 million Tanzanians could have been infected since the beginning of the epidemic
(USAID, 2016)
The epidemic is a serious threat to the country’s social and economic development and has serious
and direct implications on the social services and welfare. Given the high HIV prevalence in the
society, and in the absence of cure, the devastating impact of the epidemic is incomprehensible.
Around 1.6 million people are living with HIV in Tanzania - six percent of the population.
Although this number has recently fallen slightly, the epidemic’s severity differs widely from
region to region, with some regions reporting an HIV prevalence of less than 2 percent (Arusha)
and others as high as 16 percent (Iringa). An estimated 150,000 Tanzanians were newly infected
with HIV in 2011, which are over 400 new infections every day. In the same year, 83,528
Tanzanians died from AIDS.
Effects of HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS leads to stigmatization
As a result of this disaster victims are segregated and dishonored within the society, example a
victim cannot join the army if the individual is affected. In the embassy, one cannot be issued visa
to some countries. In the society as well affected people are being segregated.

7. Orphans
This occurs when both parents die from HIV/AIDS and leave their children in the tender age which
expose them to the problems such as lack of support, some become street children, and others
cannot afford to go to school.
Economic effect
The economy of the family as well as the government can be drawn back because labor force dies
and those who are affected cannot work so as to produce and contribute to the economy. The cost
of treating the patients is very high on basis of the medication and diet.
The statistics shows that 80% of families lose half their income when the major bread winner dies
from HIV/AIDS (USAID, 2016)
Psychological effect
HIV/AIDS’ victims are psychologically affected considering themselves as outcasts in the society.
Another scenario is when the relatives of the victims witness the patients and can, be left with
trauma especially the children. HIV/AIDS sero prevalence for adults by sex in various regions,
Tanzania 2012-2013
MALARIA
Malaria pandemic is one of the leading causes of death in many regions of the country ranging
from 24% of deaths in Rukwa to 48.9% in Dare es salaam. Currently, a malaria problem is evident
from national level to the grassroots level of malaria endemicity. Recently, there has been observed
increased trends in the occurrence of malaria in non-traditional areas found in highlands such as
Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Tanga and Kagera regions. In these areas malaria was not very pronounced
in the past and this trend has been attributed to global warming.
It is well evident that global warming exerts impacts on malaria ecosystems in Tanzania. Recent
studies done in these areas have revealed the relationship between increase in temperature and
occurrence of malaria incidence on these areas. Microclimate changes as a result of global
warming such as temperature, rainfall and humidity contribute to the changes in the epidemiology
of the disease and this leads to the extension of the disease to new non-traditional malaria areas.
Change in climate may have short and long-term impacts on disease transmission as these vectors
and species have the potential to redistribute themselves to new climate-driven habitats. Recent
studies show that vector species have adapted to ecosystems ranging from humid forests to dry
savannahs.
Several initiatives to combat malaria have been put in place at national and local level; most of
them have been concentrated to the traditional malaria areas. This leaves the non-traditional
malaria areas to be more vulnerable to the impacts of malaria as most of the local communities are
not well adapted to the disease since the disease was not prevalent in these areas before.

8. Strategic initiatives targeting these areas need to be put in place in order to assist the communities
in increasing their adaptation to the effects of Malaria thereby reducing their vulnerability.
Cognizant of this fact and bearing in mind the deadly effects of malaria to human kind, the
proposed project seeks to address the vulnerability of the communities to malaria in the non-
traditional malaria areas and to strengthen their capacity to adapt to this condition.
LANDSLIDE
A landslide is the movement of rock, debris or earth down a slope. They result from the failure of
the materials which make up the hill slope and are driven by the force of gravity. Landslides are
known also as landslips, slumps or slope failure. Some of the most common types of landslide in
Tanzania are earth slides, rock falls and debris flows. The movement of landslide material can vary
from abrupt collapses to slow gradual slides and at rates which range from almost undetectable to
extremely rapid. Sudden and rapid events are the most dangerous because of a lack of warning and
the speed at which material can travel down the slope as well as the force of its resulting impact.
Extremely slow landslides might move only millimeters or centimeters a year and can be active
over many years. Although this type of landslide is not a threat to people they can cause
considerable damage to property.
Landslides can be triggered by natural causes or by human activity. They range from a single
boulder in a rock fall or topple to tens of millions of cubic meters of material in a debris flow.
Examples
At least 19 gold miners were killed in a landslide in Tanzania's northwestern district of Kahama,
with many more feared trapped in mining pits. Justus Kamugisha, Shinyanga regional police
commander, said on Friday 19 bodies had been recovered so far and rescue operations were
underway. He said the miners were buried alive on Thursday night by a huge landslide which was
caused by weak poles that supported soil in areas with mining pits.Rescuers were waiting for
equipment from nearby Bulyanhulu Gold Mine, he said, putting a large number for those possibly
trapped.Witness Masanja Mgamba said the miners did not take precautionary measures before they
went down the mining pits. "Over 100 miners go down the pits daily. Let's pray that there were
not 100 when the landslide occurred otherwise it will be a disaster," said Mgamba. (TMA, 2016)
Also the current landslides occurred on May, 2017 at the road along Usambara mountain from
Mombo to Soni-Tanga which was caused by heavy rainfall as pictures shown below

9. (UNFCCC), 2017)
TSUNAMIS
Tsunamis are giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions under the sea. Out in the
depths of the ocean, tsunami waves do not dramatically increase in height. But as the waves travel
inland, they build up to higher and higher heights as the depth of the ocean decreases. The speed
of tsunami waves depends on ocean depth rather than the distance from the source of the wave.
Tsunami waves may travel as fast as jet planes over deep waters, only slowing down when reaching
shallow waters. While tsunamis are often referred to as tidal waves, this name is discouraged by
oceanographers because tides have little to do with these giant waves. (Matari, 2006)
The areas which are vulnerable to tsunamis are the coastal regions in Tanzania mainland such as
Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Tanga, Lindi, and Zanzibar island.

10. (Matari, 2006)
VOLCANO
A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows
hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. Earth's
volcanoes occur because its crust is broken into 17 major, rigid tectonic plates that float on a hotter,
softer layer in its mantle. Therefore, on Earth, volcanoes are generally found where tectonic plates
are diverging or converging.
Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano (known by Maasai as the mountain of god) has an impressive cone
shape and rises 2000 m above the plain from Lake Natron. The cone is composed of ash and
reaches a maximum slope of 42 C. Ol Doinyo Lengai Volcano has the lowest temperature lava of
any volcano on earth. It erupts at less than 600 C. Most eruptions at the volcano are small. Larger
than normal eruptions occurred in 1917 when vegetation was destroyed on the volcano and ash
fall caused destruction of grazing land and death of herds of Maasai cattle. An eruption in 1940-
41 lasted for six months and ash fell 100 km from the volcano 2009.
Climbing Lengai is still dangerous due to the possibility of eruptions, and the difficult terrain.2007-
08 Eruptions During July 2007 there were a series of shallow focus earthquakes around the volcano
followed by a significant ash eruption in September and October 2007.

11. Meru
Mt Meru is a large volcano with a caldera and cone located in northern Tanzania near Arusha. It is
Africa's fourth highest mountain and has a classic stratovolcano shape. Meru is located 50 km west
of Kilimanjaro. Black lava has flowed from the cone for a distance of three miles. The volcanic
cone has a diameter of 25 km. 2015 Wildfires on Mt Meru volcano produced smoke cloud in
September 2015. The volcano was not erupting.2008 snow falls. On 6th February 2008 snow fell
on the summit of Mt Meru for the first time in decades. The mountain lost its glacier in the late
1960's. The earliest volcanic activity occurred at west Meru plateau 1.5 million years ago. The
total extent of the eruption is obscured by later ash and lahar deposits. About 100 m is exposed,
and may be up to 700 m deep.

12. Igwisi hill
Igwisi Hills are located in Tabora Province of western Tanzania. The Igwisi Hills are three small,
asymmetric, cratered tuff cones lying along a 2 km-long, NE SW trending line. The maximum
diameter of the cones is 850 m, and they rise 70 m above the surrounding terrain. An 800 x 800 m,
3 m deep lava flow extends from the NE cone. Igwisi Hills produced the most recent eruptions on
the Tanzania Craton. Eruptions of Igwisi Hills Volcano. The most recent eruptions are not known,
but the cones have the same youthful morphology as Quaternary tuff cones in northern Tanzania.
Rungwe
Rungwe volcano is located 54 km NW of Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa), and 14 km north of Tukuyu.
It contains pumice cones, lava domes, and explosion craters. In 2003 a new species of monkey was
discovered on the volcano. It is called the highland mangabey (Rungwe cebus kipunji). Fewer than
a thousand highland mangabey exist. Scientists have assigned it to a new genus, Rungwe cebus,
named after Rungwe volcano, where it is found. Originally the monkey was assigned to the genus
Lophocebus, but genetic and morphological tests showed that it is more closely related to baboons
(genus Papio) than to the other mangabey in the genus Lophocebus. 2009 Earthquake. On 20th
December 2009 a magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit 90 km SSE of Rungwe volcano, Tanzania, near
the town of Karonga in Malawi. The earthquake damaged school buildings, houses, police stations,
health centers and boreholes. Hundreds of people were left homeless, and one death reported.
Mt Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest volcano outside South America. Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest
mountain. It is located in northern Tanzania and rises 5km above the plains, and a base 60 km
wide. The mountain contains three volcanic cones - Kibo, Mawensi, and Shira. It is located on the
eastern side of the African Rift Valley. Magma is located 400 m below the summit crater. The Ash
Pit lies in the north-westerly part of Kibo, and is of recent origin. It is circular with sharp, well-
preserved edges and steep walls. The pit diameter is about 400 m and 150 m deep. It is almost
ringed round by a circular and higher bank 150 m away, which in its turn is completely ringed by
yet another bank, considerably higher. (Noson, 2010)
(NAPA, 2003)

13. CONCLUSION
Therefore, to avoid the effects of disaster in vulnerable areas, disaster management is so important
because disaster if not be checked it can lead to the impact on the lives and livelihood of peoples
as well as damage to infrastructure are huge. The communities must be more proactive towards
preparedness and reduction of risks during disasters whether it is natural or man-made. We will
depend a lot on the resources and the traditional knowledge we have to prepare in terms of
subsistence, like planting the root crops three months before the cyclone seasons.

14. References
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Expert Group.
PMO. (2003 ). Vulnerability Assessment Report. Dar es Salaam,: Prime Minister’s Office, .
Specialist. (2010). Disaster Risk Assessment. Retrieved from
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