The Tanzanian parliament adopted a disaster assistance law in hopes of alleviating the country's increasing vulnerability to storms, floods, and droughts. The new legislation creates the Disaster Management Agency, which will stockpile supplies and have the authority to order evacuations. The agency will also have the power to halt movement of guns and alcohol into disaster areas, in an effort to reduce the surge in criminal activity that authorities say has accompanied recent disasters. In addition to more central disaster management, the law also creates localized committees that will have the power to order evacuations and to use some resources immediately in the wake of a disaster. Critics question whether the law will go far enough, noting that poor land use planning has led to development in many vulnerable areas. The parliamentary action follows last month's flooding in Shinyanga that left 47 people dead and displaced 5,000. For the full story, see http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/02/us-tanzania-disasters-idUSKBN0MT15420150402.