When the banks of the Kilombero River burst at 3:00 AM, the village of Igembe was plunged into pitch darkness and rapidly rising floodwater. With mobile networks failing and national broadcasters still unaware of the unfolding crisis, time was running out.
Radio as a lifeline
Equipped with a TMF-funded solar-powered transmitter, Pangani FM — a local community radio station — immediately went live. Working in rotating shifts through the night, field correspondents relayed block-by-block evacuation updates, directing families to the nearest safe high ground.
"Information is aid. Without the radio, we wouldn't have known which way to run." — Village Elder, Community Leader
Sustained coverage for 72 hours
For three full days and nights, Pangani FM remained on air, providing updated escape routes, safety advisories and reassurance to stranded families. The sustained, hyperlocal coverage is credited with guiding an estimated 500 residents to safety with no recorded fatalities.
This case powerfully demonstrates how locally-owned, resilient media infrastructure can be the difference between tragedy and survival during climate-driven disasters.
