Deadly Floodings Claim Over 70 Lives in Kenya, Red Cross Rescues 302 as President Orders Forced Evacuations

At present, over 70 individuals have lost their lives due to widespread floodings across Kenya as confirmed by a government spokesperson on Friday. This number contrasts other estimates reported earlier. The Kenyan Red Cross has also shared that a truck carrying people in Makueni County was swept away by raging waters this week, resulting in another distressing incident. As of now, over 13,000 households have been displaced due to the floodings which destroyed at least twenty-two roads and affected twenty-six schools. The Red Cross has reportedly rescued around three hundred people since March when heavy rains commenced. Kenyan President William Ruto urged authorities last Thursday to evacuate individuals residing along riverbanks or other endangered areas forcefully, as he stated that some citizens might have to be moved even without their consent because it is for their own safety. The president also added that multi-agency teams are working with him in providing adequate support and relocating those at risk from dangerous flood zones. Out of Kenya’s forty-seven counties, twenty-six regions were reportedly affected by the recent flooding incidents according to data provided by the Kenyan Red Cross. The country’s meteorological department also issued an advisory on Thursday indicating that heavy rainfall will continue in various parts of Kenya including Nairobi although with less intensity forecasted from April 28th onward. Similarly, neighboring Tanzania and Burundi have experienced flood-related deaths as reported by their respective authorities last week. The Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa confirmed that at least one hundred fifty individuals lost their lives in Tanzanian flooding incidents alone according to his statements made yesterday (Thursday).