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The death toll from heavy rains and floods has hit 188 after nine more bodies were retrieved in various parts of the country.
Presently, 90 individuals remain missing, while 125 others have sustained injuries, and approximately 165,500 people have been displaced by the flooding.
The Ministry of Interior, in a statement issued on Thursday, May 2, reported the active involvement of 151 Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers in Mai Mahiu, Nakuru County.
This engagement follows the retrieval of 52 deceased individuals and the continued search for 51 missing persons after a devastating mudslide incident. Consequently, the Mai Mahiu-Narok Road has been cleared and reopened for traffic.
Emergency response teams, in collaboration with the Narok County Security team and the Red Cross, have successfully evacuated 90 individuals through coordinated efforts utilizing both ground and aerial units in the Masai Mara region, where 19 lodges were inundated due to the overflow of River Talek.
“As a result, the country has regrettably recorded 188 fatalities due to severe weather conditions,” the ministry said in a statement.
It added that 125 people had been reported injured and 90 people were currently missing, while 165,000 have been displaced.
Read More:Floods Devastate Kenya, Dozens Killed, Thousands Displaced
On Wednesday, nearly 100 tourists were stranded following a river overflow in Kenya’s renowned Maasai Mara wildlife reserve, caused by heavy rainfall. The ministry confirmed the successful evacuation of 90 individuals from Masai Mara by both ground and air, as lodges and safari camps were inundated following the River Talek overflow.
Kenyan President William Ruto announced the deployment of the military to evacuate residents in flood-prone areas.
However, opposition politicians and advocacy groups have criticized the government’s perceived lack of preparedness and delayed response to the crisis, despite weather warnings, urging the declaration of the floods as a national disaster.
Human Rights Watch emphasized Kenya’s obligation to protect citizens during disasters and mitigate foreseeable harm from climate change. The organization highlighted the heightened vulnerability of marginalized populations, including the elderly, persons with disabilities, those in poverty, and rural communities, amidst events like flooding.
Both the United States and Britain issued travel advisories for Kenya due to the extreme weather conditions. The torrential rains have also caused devastation across East African countries, notably Tanzania, where flooding and landslides have claimed at least 155 lives.
The ongoing heavy seasonal rains have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather pattern, posing further risks to communities’ well-being and livelihoods. This catastrophic situation has prompted condolences and expressions of solidarity from around the world.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep distress over the loss of lives caused by heavy flooding in several East African countries, underscoring the urgent need to address the impacts of extreme weather events triggered by El Nino to prevent further devastation.
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