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10 people killed in 24 hours pushing flood death toll to 179

Floods leave a trail of destruction in Mathare, Nairobi, on April 24, 2024. (Photo: Hanifa Adan/EV)

By Lucy Mumbi | 01 May 2024

20 more people have been reported missing, raising the number of those unaccounted for to 90.

Ten people have been killed in the last 24 hours, bringing the national flood-related death toll to 179, consisting of 164 adults and 15 children.

In a statement on Wednesday, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said the weather forecast shows that the country will continue to receive above-average rainfall in May.

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The increase in deaths has also been accompanied by reports of 20 more people missing, raising the number of those unaccounted for to 90.

Additionally, 1,127 households have been displaced, increasing the number of displaced households to 31,341 with 195,011 people affected.

Mwaura said the government is establishing displacement camps to offer shelter to those forced to leave their homes.

“The ongoing rainfall will continue to cause flooding and disruption of several social and economic activities. The government has set up displacement camps to provide alternative accommodation to the displaced,” Mwaura said.

However, Mwaura noted that medical facilities countrywide are currently treating 125 individuals who sustained injuries during the floods.

He reiterated that those residing within risky areas have until the end of Wednesday to relocate. “These include the areas near dams and other water reservoirs in public or private land, areas prone to mudslides and landslides and riparian lands across the country.”

According to him, the government has completed the mapping out of all the fragile ecosystems around the country, which pose grave dangers to public safety in the likely event of further precipitation.

Citizens have been called upon to remain vigilant and adhere to the weather and flood alerts issued regularly by government agencies.

“All Kenyans are requested to cooperate fully with emergency responders and local authorities during evacuations or rescue operations, especially in areas mapped out as high-risk areas,” Mwaura said.