A further four people have died in Kenya after heavy rain caused widespread flooding, police said, taking the number to have died in the past week to at least 66.
The capital, Nairobi, was hit by more heavy rain overnight although no new deaths were reported.
Eleven people were rescued after a minibus taxi, known locally as a matatu, got stuck as water rose in Nairobi, according to the Kenya Red Cross, while two children were saved from a flooded house.
Heavy rainfall over the past week has triggered flash floods as rivers have burst their banks, flooding homes and damaging roads, power- and water- lines.
Some roads have been closed after bridges were damaged in Nairobi, while some schools were also flooded after Saturday’s downpour.
The interior ministry warned on Sunday that different parts of the country were continuing to experience heavy rains, increasing the risk of flooding.
Authorities have urged residents in low-lying areas to move to safer ground and more than 2,000 people have had to leave their homes to seek shelter.
Police say search-and-rescue operations are continuing following the “torrential rain and subsequent devastating flooding affecting various parts of the country”.
Half of those killed – 33 – have been in Nairobi, where poor drainage has been a major factor, along with the obstruction of rivers and waterways caused by unregulated development.
President William Ruto on Sunday said authorities were working to clear blocked drainage systems but Ali said they had seen no-one and the Parklands Residents Association had cleared up the debris themselves.
Ruto also said emergency food supplies and medical assistance were being delivered to those affected.
“I want to assure all Kenyans that the Government remains fully mobilised to respond,” Ruto said.
He revealed that he had directed the activation of a multi-agency response bringing together emergency services, security agencies, humanitarian teams and technical departments to coordinate relief efforts in Nairobi and other affected regions across the country.
He said government agencies are currently assisting in rescue and evacuation operations, clearing blocked drainage systems and restoring access routes in areas affected by flooding.
Ruto added that the national government is working closely with county governments to ensure the safety of residents, noting that emergency food supplies and medical assistance are already being delivered to affected communities.
He also urged Kenyans to follow safety advisories issued by authorities, including the Kenya Meteorological Department and the police, saying the guidance is intended to help protect lives during the ongoing rains.
“The government will continue to take every necessary step to safeguard lives, support affected communities, and ensure that no Kenyan faces this challenge alone,” he said.
The flooding has not just affected Kenya.
More than 100 people have been killed in neighbouring Ethiopia following floods and landslides in the south of the country.
Many factors contribute to flooding, but a warming atmosphere caused by climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely.
The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
