Villagers fear for lives after elephant raid wreaks havoc

ARUSHA, Tanzania - Villagers in Tanzania's northern districts of Monduli say they fear for their lives after a herd of wild elephants strayed into their areas, local authorities said on Sunday.

The herd raided the villages of Nalarami, Moita, Bwawani, Kilimasie, Mbuyuni and Naiti last week.

Loserian Kimbele, Nalarami Ward Executive Officer, said: "We have reported the matter to the responsible authorities so they can come up with measures to address the problem."

He said that the elephants' invasion had caused fear and panic among villagers and destroyed 43 hectares of crops.

The herd posed a serious threat to civilians in the area, as villagers who depend on farming have been left in the lurch because of damage to their crops, he added.

No fatalities

Iddi Kamata, Monduli District Commissioner, confirmed the incident, saying no casualties were reported.

"We have tasked game rangers to help the affected villagers and chase the elephants to the protected areas," he said.

There are about 43 elephants which strayed from either Tarangire National Park or Lake Manyara National Park, the sanctuaries which are close to the district, the district commissioner said.

The official said that the assessment carried out by wildlife officers in collaboration with the department of agriculture showed that more than 40 hectares of farms have been destroyed by the elephants in Naralami village alone.

"But, we're still assessing the impact of the stormed elephants in the area," he said.

One of the residents, Tellosa Saning'o, said that although the elephants arrived a week ago and villagers informed the relevant authorities, nothing has been done.

"Most of our farms have been affected with the elephants. Nothing has been left in the farms," the mother of six said on Sunday.

She added that some of the villagers have fled their homes fearing for their lives.

"Some of our children have failed to go to school for safety reasons," the villager said, noting that most of the human activities have stopped in the area.

According to the law on compensation for destruction made by wildlife, the Tanzanian Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism is responsible for compensating those people who have been affected by the elephants' invasion.

Xinhua