Eleven individuals and a dog were saved from the flooded rivers in Kenya through a daring rescue operation.
A rescue operation took place in Kitengela, Kajiado County, near Nairobi, at about 5 in the morning, as the Red Cross aided families to safety amid heavy rainfall. The Red Cross described their mission as difficult, but later brought some relief as reports suggested that the floodwaters were gradually subsiding. Nevertheless, the government's spokesperson, Isaac Mwaura, predicted more rain within this month, which could potentially worsen the current flood situation.
This month, at least 71 deaths were reported from flooding in Mai Mahiu, a town 20 miles north of Nairobi. Many remain unaccounted for. In the last day, 10 Kenyans have perished due to the floods, bringing the official tally to 179, with 15 of them being children. Residents of Mai Mahiu are frantically searching through piles of debris, looking for the missing.
On Tuesday, CNN visited the place and witnessed dead bodies piling up under uprooted trees and layers of dirt. A phone was heard to be ringing under the ground, and locals quickly searched for the owner before finding their lifeless body in the mud. Many of the residents, despite a lack of equipment and resources, banded together to help in any way they could. One resident, a motorcycle taxi rider who preferred anonymity, told CNN that he had supplied fuel for a power saw to cut down fallen trees.
"Let the government send us excavators," he urged.
Under pressure, Kenyan President William Ruto announced that the military would be deployed to help find missing individuals.
"The military has been mobilized, the National Youth Service has been mobilized, all security agencies have been mobilized to assist citizens in such areas to evacuate to avoid any dangers of loss of life," Ruto stated.
"This is not a time for guesswork; we are better off safe than sorry," he added.
Evacuation from flood-affected regions
The government has requested people in severely affected areas to vacate due to the potential for more rain.
"We are asking every Kenyan in such areas to leave, because the forecast is that rain is going to continue, and the likelihood of flooding and people losing lives is real," Ruto remarked during his visit to Mai Mahiu on Tuesday.
Ruto also mentioned that the government had completed "mapping of all areas that are in danger of flooding, of landslides so that we can assist citizens to move away from those areas."
Furthermore, Mwaura revealed that the government had set up 52 "displacement camps" to offer temporary shelter to those affected by the floods.
Read also:
- This will change in December
- Dikes withstand water masses so far - Scholz holds out the prospect of help
- Fireworks and parties ring in 2024 - turn of the year overshadowed by conflicts
- Attacks on ships in the Red Sea: shipping companies avoid important trade route
In light of the government's request, many Africans from flood-prone areas are considering relocating to safer regions. Despite the world's assistance, Africa continues to grapple with frequent natural disasters, highlighting the need for long-term solutions.
Source: edition.cnn.com
