At least 45 people were killed and numerous others were reported missing in Kenya on Monday as a result of flash floods and a landslide that destroyed homes and blocked a main route.
The Old Kijabe Dam, which is situated in the flash-flooded Mai Mahiu district of the Great Rift Valley, collapsed, bringing mud, rocks, and uprooted trees with it, police spokesman Stephen Kirui first told The Associated Press.
However, in a statement released late on Monday, the Nakuru County claimed that a congested railway tunnel was the source of the water mass that triggered the flash floods.
One of Kenya’s major highways was blocked by debris, trapping cars, and paramedics were treating injured people while large regions were submerged by water.
49 individuals were reported missing and 109 hospitalized, according to the Kenya Red Cross.
William Lokai told Citizen TV that he heard a loud blast that startled him and that his house quickly filled with water. He and his brother and kids made their way out through the roof.
At least 169 people have died in Kenya due to flooding brought on by ongoing rains since mid-March, and the nation’s meteorological department has issued a warning about additional precipitation.
To prevent such incidents, Kenya’s Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki ordered a 24-hour check of all dams and water reservoirs, both public and private, starting on Monday afternoon. Following the examination, the government promised to make suggestions about evacuations and relocation.
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West of Nairobi’s capital, the highways surrounding Naivasha and Narok were blocked by debris and heavy traffic, prompting the Kenya National Highways Authority to issue a notice to drivers.
The torrential rains have caused flooding throughout the greater East African region; according to reports, 155 people have perished in Tanzania and more than 200,000 people have been affected in Burundi, a neighbor.
On Sunday night, a boat overturned in the northern Kenyan county of Garissa; according to the Kenyan Red Cross, 23 persons were saved, but over a dozen were still unaccounted for.
Videos of a flooded runway, terminals, and cargo area went viral online on Saturday, prompting several planes to be diverted from Kenya’s main airport.
Over 200,000 people in Kenya have been affected by the flooding, with many taking shelter in schools and buildings in regions vulnerable to flooding inundated.
The National Youth Service had been directed by President William Ruto to supply land for those impacted to utilize as a makeshift camp.
