[PRESSWIRE] SERENGETI, Tanzania – 2026-03-08 — Authorities have deployed an aircraft to conduct aerial patrols over Serengeti National Park after weeks of heavy rains flooded roads and river crossings, leaving several safari vehicles stranded.

Officials said the aircraft is scanning large sections of the park to locate stranded tourist convoys and relay their coordinates to ground rescue teams.

The operation was launched by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism through the Tanzania National Parks Authority.

The Serengeti, one of Africa’s most famous wildlife destinations and home to the annual Great Migration, has experienced weeks of intense rainfall that has made travel across sections of the park difficult.

“Tourists’ and guides’ safety must be the absolute priority,” said Ismail Omary Ismail, chief conservator of the park.

“Our teams are working around the clock to locate and assist vehicles affected by flooding,” he said.

Rescue teams consisting of park rangers, conservation officers and medical personnel have been deployed across the reserve.

Recovery crews are using tractors, motor graders and heavy-duty trucks to remove vehicles from flooded tracks, while the aircraft conducts aerial surveillance.

Once stranded vehicles are identified, coordinates are transmitted to ground teams using GPS tracking and radio communication systems, Ismail said.

Several access roads in central Serengeti, including parts of the Seronera-Naabi corridor, have been partially submerged.

Floodwaters have overtopped dirt roads at several drifts and culverts, forcing tour operators to suspend journeys for hours.

TANAPA said no injuries or fatalities had been reported.

Deputy Conservation Commissioner Massana Mwishawa said the flooding highlights the vulnerability of tourism infrastructure to extreme weather events.

Scientists say climate change is intensifying rainfall variability across East Africa, making weather patterns less predictable.

Tourism remains one of Tanzania’s leading sources of foreign exchange, with the Serengeti widely regarded as the country’s flagship wildlife attraction.

Authorities said their immediate priority is ensuring the safety of visitors and guides.

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