Fire breaks out on Mount Kilimanjaro

Dodoma, Oct 12 Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) said that a fire broke out on Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, adding that efforts were on to contain it.

On Sunday, TANAPA posted a photo on Twitter showing flames on the mountain, reports Xinhua news agency.

"A fire broke out on Mount Kilimanjaro and efforts to extinguish it are still ongoing. More information will follow," the agency tweeted.

Local newspaper The Citizen said the flames could easily be seen in towns around the mountain and efforts by local communities to put out the fire were hampered by the altitude of the affected area.

Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in Tanzania.

Standing at 5,895 metres above sea level and about 4,900 metres above its plateau base, Kilimanjaro is also the highest single free-standing mountain in the world.

( With inputs from IANS )