Kenya floods leave 66 dead, displace thousands

International

AT least 66 people have died in Kenya following a week of severe flooding, police said Sunday.

A report by BBC stated that the Kenya Red Cross rescued 11 passengers from a stranded matatu minibus and saved two children from a flooded house.

Floodwaters have damaged roads, bridges and power lines, with several schools closed after being inundated. More than 2,000 residents have fled their homes, authorities said, urging those in low-lying areas to move to higher ground.

Half the deaths occurred in Nairobi, where poor drainage and unregulated construction blocking rivers worsened the disaster, officials said.

Businessman Kareem Hassan Ali told BBC two metres (6.5ft) of water surrounded his Parklands apartment, submerging cars in underground parking. Another resident, Deenesh Patel, evacuated after seeing warnings.

“The rain was heavy but this happens each year, “Patel said. “Other low-lying areas were not affected because they have proper infrastructure."

President William Ruto said authorities are clearing drainage systems and delivering food and medical aid. But Ali said no officials appeared in his area, the residents’ association cleared debris themselves.

The flooding has affected several East African countries. Scientists warn that climate change, with 1.1C of warming since the industrial era, makes extreme rainfall more likely.(Jene-V Nocalan Sayson, CTU-TC Comm Intern)