The death toll from floods in Kenya has reached 188, according to the interior ministry’s update on Thursday.
The country continues to grapple with persistent heavy rains, which have caused widespread devastation in various regions, including damaging roads, bridges, and other infrastructure due to floods, landslides, and excessive rainfall.
“As a result, the country has regrettably recorded 188 fatalities due to severe weather conditions,” the ministry said in a statement.
The interior ministry provided an update stating that 125 individuals have sustained injuries, with 90 individuals currently reported missing, and 165,000 displaced due to the ongoing floods in Kenya.
The deadliest incident occurred when a dam burst near Mai Mahiu in the Rift Valley, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) north of Nairobi. Dozens of villagers lost their lives in this tragic event. The interior ministry confirmed 52 fatalities and reported 51 individuals as still missing following the dam breach.
In another distressing development on Wednesday, nearly 100 tourists were stranded after a river overflowed in Kenya’s renowned Maasai Mara wildlife reserve following heavy rainfall. The ministry reported that rescuers successfully evacuated 90 people via ground and air from the Maasai Mara, where 19 lodges were flooded due to the River Talek overflow.
The severe weather has also caused significant damage in neighboring countries. In Tanzania, at least 155 individuals have lost their lives due to flooding and landslides, further highlighting the widespread impact of this weather disaster across East Africa.
The heavy rains have been amplified by the El Nino weather pattern.
El Nino is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon typically associated with increased heat worldwide, leading to drought in some parts of the world and heavy rains elsewhere.
