DAR ES SALAAM, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) on Tuesday suspended tourist visits to Lake Manyara National Park in the country's northern tourist circuit after heavy rains damaged a bridge.

Visits by tourists to the Lake Manyara National Park are temporarily suspended after flash floods swept away a bridge over Marera River, TANAPA Corporate Communications Manager Paschal Shelutete said in a statement.

"We urge all visitors to temporarily suspend their planned visits to the park," said Shelutete. "Visits will resume when water levels subside."

Lake Manyara National Park is well known for its lions, elephants, large buffaloes, and zebra herds that congregate on the grassy plains.

Meanwhile, the number of people killed by flash floods caused by the ongoing rains in the country's commercial capital Dar es Salaam rose from nine to 14, police said on Tuesday.

According to a statement released last week by Tanzania Meteorological Agency, the rains were expected to continue for some time.

The statement mentioned hardest-hit regions as Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Coast, Kilimanjaro, Manyara, Arusha, and Morogoro.