Questions linger as deadly rains, floods ravage Kenya
Government sources say a record 300 people have lost their lives, with 185,297 individuals displaced by the floods.
Kenya is grappling with one of its most severe natural disasters in recent memory, as torrential rains and flash floods inundate villages, towns, and cities across the country, leaving a trail of death and devastation.
Government sources say a record 300 people have lost their lives, with 185,297 individuals displaced by the floods.
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The situation is particularly dire in Mai Mahiu, near Naivasha, where a landslide, triggered by the breach of the Old Kijabe dam's banks in the neighbouring Kiambu County, had claimed the lives of 71 people by Monday night.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki's Monday directive for local government officials to inspect public and private dams and water reservoirs within the next 24 hours is little comfort for the victims of the Old Kijabe dam burst, arriving too late to prevent their tragedy.
This incident stands as the deadliest single casualty of the relentless March-April El Nino-inspired rains and subsequent flash floods that have battered the country.
Some of the families of the missing persons camping at the scene of the tragedy at Maroro as they await news of their kin on April 29, 2024. (Photo: Issa Hussein)
Tragically, scores of others are missing and presumed dead, including the 19 individuals who were on board a boat that capsized in Kona Punda, Tana River County, just yesterday.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has visited Mai Mahiu to oversee rescue operations and extend sympathy and condolences to the victims' families.
However, criticism mounts against the government for its handling of the crisis, particularly regarding the lack of visible assistance for the displaced and stranded individuals.
Criminal negligence is another glaring issue. The operators of the Old Kijabe dam must be held accountable for the catastrophic breach that obliterated homes and villages, resulting in the tragic loss of many lives.
The opening of floodgates at major dams like Kindaruma and Masinga upstream on the Tana River has exacerbated the situation, triggering massive flooding in the Tana Delta region without adequate emergency plans to warn and relocate downstream residents in Garissa and Tana River counties.
This man-made disaster has displaced thousands, destroyed infrastructure, and inflicted significant economic losses, severing road transport and isolating Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera counties from the rest of the country.
The question on the lips of many Kenyans is who will shoulder the financial burden for these egregious acts of impunity and criminal negligence. The devastating consequences, including loss of lives and widespread economic hardship, are being felt in many communities in Mai Mahiu, Garissa, Tana River, and beyond.
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