Flash floods kill 60-year-old man in Garissa town

A 60-year-old man died on Monday after he drowned in Garissa town as the El Nino rains continued to wreak havoc across parts of the country.

The man identified as Hassan Sirat fell into a stream at the Quba area in Garissa town following flash floods that have been experienced in the town for several weeks.

Abdi Ali, a relative of the deceased, said they retrieved his body on Tuesday at West Gate area in Bulla Rig after rescue efforts on Monday night failed as a result of the heavy rains.

“He was swept away by the flood waters as he was returning home. Upon realising that he was missing, we tried our best to search for him at night but our efforts were hampered by the heavy rains," Abdi said.

He said they recovered his body some distance away from the stream where he is said to have fallen.

The deceased was buried on Tuesday at a cemetery in Iqra, Waberi Ward in Garissa town.

There are fears that those killed countrywide by the floods are over 60, a worrying rise from the 46 already declared by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki just a week ago on 13 November 2023.

The Kenya Red Cross Society puts the number of those displaced by raging floods at more than 80,000.

Michael Ayabei, Kenya Red Cross Head of Disaster Management, warned that the situation is worsening as the rains continue, with the country's Meteorological Department predicting rainfall to persist until January.

Other Topics To Read

• Headlines
• Northern Kenya
• El Nino rains
• Garissa
• floods
• Wajir
• Flash floods kill 60-year-old man in Garissa town
• News