At the least 42 folks have been killed in floods in central Kenya’s Mai Mahiu space after a dam burst early on Monday, and the variety of deaths might rise, police mentioned.
Photos posted on the X accounts of Kenyan media, Kenya Crimson Cross and the freeway authorities confirmed scenes of the aftermath of the flooding, with damaged timber and a minimum of one automobile caught amongst logs and dust.
“We have now to this point recovered 42 our bodies, which embrace 17 minors, following the early morning incident the place a dam burst its banks in Kijabe space and rescue and search operations are occurring,” Naivasha police commander Stephen Kirui advised reporters from the rescue scene.
Earlier on Monday, the Kenya Crimson Cross mentioned it had taken a number of folks to a well being facility in Mai Mahiu on account of flash flooding.
The most recent deaths carry the toll from heavy rains and flooding since final month to greater than 140.
Excluding the Mai Mahiu incident, authorities figures present 103 folks had been killed and greater than 185,000 displaced as of Monday.
The Kenya Crimson Cross mentioned on X that its personnel had retrieved two our bodies after a ship capsized late on Sunday within the Tana River, in jap Kenya’s Garissa County. Twenty-three folks have been rescued from the identical incident.
Dozens extra have been killed and lots of of hundreds displaced by intense downpours in different East African nations, together with Tanzania and Burundi.
The floods have brought about widespread injury to infrastructure resembling roads and bridges.
A street underpass on the worldwide airport within the capital Nairobi was flooded, however flights have been working as ordinary, the Kenya Airports Authority mentioned on Sunday.
Hydroelectric dams have been stuffed to capability, which could lead on to an enormous overflow downstream, a authorities spokesperson mentioned.
East Africa was additionally hit by report floods over the past wet season in late 2023. Scientists say local weather change is inflicting extra intense and frequent excessive climate occasions.
Kenya’s training ministry on Monday postponed the beginning of a brand new college time period by one week.
“The devastating results of the rains in a number of the colleges is so extreme that it is going to be imprudent to danger the lives of learners and employees,” it mentioned in an announcement.
